A group of lawmakers in the US parliament is rushing to strike a deal on border policy to win Republican support for additional funding for Kiev. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer admitted that the issue needs to be urgently addressed because the Ukrainian armed forces are running out of shells, the Associated Press reports.
The U.S. Senate is hastily trying to negotiate to strike a deal on border policy. Democrats want to find a compromise solution that would allow them to win support from Republicans and result in military aid for Ukraine, the Associated Press reports.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers has been privately discussing changes to U.S. immigration policy for two months and hopes to unveil its draft this week. But the initiative faces strong opposition, including from Donald Trump, the favourite in the presidential race, the agency notes.
It’s unclear whether the border policy changes, which have been privately negotiated with the White House, will convince a majority of Republican senators. Democrats also have their grievances with the initiative, believing it could hurt refugees seeking asylum in America.
All in all, the future of the bill, which touches on one of the most “explosive topics in American politics,” is highly questionable. Congress hasn’t made significant changes to immigration and border legislation in decades, and the parties’ positions have become even more adamant, the Associated Press notes.
Nevertheless, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the situation needs to be urgently addressed because the Ukrainian armed forces are running out of ammunition. “The future of the conflict in Ukraine hangs in the balance. The security of our Western democracy hangs in the balance,” the politician stressed.