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WASHINGTON: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky canceled plans to appeal directly to US lawmakers for new aid on Tuesday, as a partisan battle over immigration policy threatened to derail President Joe Biden鈥檚 request for billions of dollars for Kyiv鈥檚 fight against Russia.
Republicans and Biden鈥檚 fellow Democrats in the Senate and House of Representatives have been debating for weeks over Biden鈥檚 October request that Congress approve $106 billion for Ukraine, Israel, security at the US border with Mexico and US interests in the Indo-Pacific.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, said funds for Ukraine, which has been fighting a full-scale invasion by Russia since February 2022, must be tied to 鈥渢ransformative change鈥� in US immigration policy.
On Tuesday, Senate Democrats unveiled their $110.5 billion bill addressing Biden鈥檚 request, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he would try to break the impasse by offering Republicans the chance to add an amendment on border policy on legislation including aid to Ukraine and Israel.
鈥淟et鈥檚 remember here: It was the Republicans who put border on the table. We did not. They have a responsibility if they believe border should be part of Ukraine, which is so vital to our country, let them propose an amendment that can get 60 votes,鈥� Schumer told a weekly press conference.
Senate rules dictate that most legislation requires 60 votes to advance in the 100-member chamber.
The Senate鈥檚 top Republican, Mitch McConnell, who spoke right after Schumer made his amendment offer, said he would nonetheless urge Senate Republicans to vote against the Democratic-backed legislation.
鈥淲e鈥檙e serious about having some significant changes in how we protect our southern border as a part of the overall package,鈥� McConnell said.
鈥淚 hope all our members vote no,鈥� McConnell said.
Members of the House of Representatives and Senate attended classified briefings by top Biden administration officials, which Zelensky had been expected to address via videolink. But Schumer said the Ukrainian leader was unable to attend.
鈥淪omething happened at the last minute,鈥� Schumer told reporters.
Senators said their briefing was acrimonious. Schumer said one lawmaker, whom he did not identify, had shouted at one of the top generals.

HOUSE OBJECTIONS
The most serious objections to Ukraine aid came from the Republican-led House. On Tuesday, Johnson released a letter demanding more information from Biden鈥檚 administration about its strategy for Ukraine, and insisting that immigration policy changes be part of any funding bill.
鈥淚 reiterate that President Biden must satisfy Congressional oversight inquiries about the Administration鈥檚 failure thus far to present clearly defined objectives, and its failure to provide essential weapons (for Ukraine) on a timely basis,鈥� Johnson wrote.
According to Johnson鈥檚 letter, he met with administration officials on Oct. 26 and said then 鈥渢hat supplemental Ukraine funding is dependent upon enactment of transformative change to our nation鈥檚 border security laws.鈥�
Johnson鈥檚 letter was a reply to one from White House budget director Shalanda Young on Monday in which she warned that Washington was running out of time and money to help Ukraine fight its war against Russia.
Congress has approved about $113 billion for Ukraine since Russia鈥檚 invasion, but it has not backed any new funds since Republicans took control of the House from Biden鈥檚 fellow Democrats in January.
Johnson himself voted against more security assistance for Kyiv as recently as September.
Ukrainian officials have been making their own appeals for assistance. Zelensky鈥檚 chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, told a conference that the postponement of US assistance for Kyiv being debated in Congress would create a 鈥渂ig risk鈥� of Ukraine鈥檚 losing the war with Russia.