Speaker Johnson Signals Pathway For Ukraine Aid

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) decision to initiate a process to move independently to legislate President Biden’s USD$106 billion national security supplemental request appears to have kick-started Congressional action on Ukraine. More analysis on Schumer's strategy in yesterday's US Daily Brief.

• House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) told reporters in Florida yesterday: "Of course, we can't allow Vladimir Putin to march through Europe and we understand the necessity of assisting there... What we've said is that if there is to be additional assistance to Ukraine, which most members of Congress believe is important, we have to also work and change our own border policy… I'm confident and optimistic that we'll be ab bring Ukraine aid to the House floor if he is sufficiently satisfied with the US-Mexico border agreement under negotiation in the Senate.
• On those border negotiations, Politico reports that, “the vibes aren’t half bad,” with the bipartisan group hopeful, "for a handshake deal by week’s end.”
• Punchbowl News notes that the senators also spoke with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas this past weekend - another meeting which could indicate progress.
• Additional pressure on Johnson will also come from the NATO foreign ministers meetingwhich is underway in Brussel with most members looking to demonstrate strong support for Ukraine.