US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told a meeting with several members of the European Commission on Wednesday that “we cannot let Ukraine run out of money” while Congress is still debating a new bailout plan for the country. .

Yellen spoke in the presence of Margrethe Vestager and Valdis Dombroskis, who were in Washington as part of the Trade and Technology (TTC) talks, which have been going on for almost two years and are due to conclude in Belgium in April.

The talks were to focus, in particular, on “how we can deprive Russia of its ability to wage war and support Ukraine,” a topic of “paramount importance,” Janet Yellen insisted.

“We must stay the course and keep up the pressure on Russia,” confirmed Dombrovskis, adding that “the EU wants to continue to work hand in hand with the United States to limit the Russian military machine.”

Negotiations in the US Congress to reach an agreement on a new budget package in the amount of about 61 billion dollars are still ongoing.

Under pressure from the right, a new military aid package is being discussed along with immigration measures at a time when the number of migrants crossing the border into Mexico is at a record high.

But the political context in the United States, with a presidential election looming and a new duel between US President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump increasingly materializing, may ultimately prevent any compromise.

“As every senator knows, the survival of Ukraine is at stake,” Senate Majority Leader Senator Cook Schumer said on Wednesday, noting that negotiations are still ongoing.

Ukraine will win the war against Russia if it gets more help from Congress. Otherwise (Vladimir) Putin will win, he insisted.

The European Union (EU) also faces hurdles: Hungary refuses to approve €50 billion in aid to Ukraine, as Viktor Orbán’s government, close to Moscow, requires an annual review of the funds (€33 billion in loans and €17 billion in grants).

It is very important that we make a decision by the end of this week because it shows our commitment, Vestager insisted, we will not allow (Vladimir) Putin to think that we can reduce our focus.

So far, in addition to military aid, the EU and the United States have provided Ukraine with $54 billion in budget aid, more than half of which came from the Commission and member states, Ms. Yellen said.

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