US Seeks Congressional Approval for Israel and Ukraine Support Package... NATO Also Pledges Support for Ukraine

Concerns Over Decreasing Interest in Supporting Ukraine Addressed

The U.S. government is seeking congressional approval by bundling support for Israel, which was caught off guard by a surprise attack from the Palestinian militant group Hamas, and Ukraine, which has been at war with Russia for over a year and a half, into a single package. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) also reaffirmed its unwavering support for Ukraine. This move is interpreted as an effort to dispel concerns that recent Middle East conflicts might shake support for Ukraine.

[Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House National Security Council (NSC), stated during a briefing on the 11th (local time), "We are actively discussing with Congress to secure additional funding for Ukraine and Israel."

Kirby explained that while short-term budgets for supporting the two countries have been secured, the funds for long-term support are running low. He added that the administration is simultaneously requesting Congress for the budget needed for both Israel’s support and additional aid to Ukraine.

As the U.S. steps up support for Israel, this appears to be a strategic move to prevent waning interest in the prolonged support for Ukraine. Recently, some factions within the U.S. Republican Party have expressed skepticism about the necessity of additional aid to Ukraine. In response, the U.S. government plans to seek congressional approval by packaging support for Ukraine and Israel together. Previously, the 45-day temporary budget passed by the U.S. Congress on the 30th of last month did not include any of the additional funding requested by the administration for Ukraine.

On the same day, NATO confirmed its unwavering support for Ukraine during a meeting of defense ministers from 31 countries held in Brussels, Belgium. Attending the meeting, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced an additional aid package worth $200 million (approximately 270 billion KRW), which includes AIM-9M missiles, rocket ammunition, and anti-tank weapons for Ukraine.

Additionally, Kirby revealed that the number of American casualties from Hamas’s attack on Israel has risen to 22 dead, with 17 Americans still missing. He said, "The number of Americans held hostage by Hamas is very small," adding, "There are only a few, but the number could change."

Regarding the rocket attacks on Israel by Hezbollah, the Shiite militant group in Lebanon, Kirby expressed concern and stated that following the emergency deployment of the USS Gerald R. Ford in the Eastern Mediterranean, another nuclear-powered aircraft carrier could be additionally deployed to Israel.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.