The possibility of converting aid into loans and directing it towards an LPG terminal in his home state of Louisiana was raised by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson. While the arms aid package for Ukraine has been stalled for months, Johnson indicated that progress might be made, with important developments expected upon Congress’s return from the Easter break on April 9.
Despite opposition from extreme Republicans in the House of Representatives, who have prevented the bill from being brought up for a vote, there has been movement behind the scenes to potentially lead to the approval of the aid package in the coming weeks. In February, the Senate approved a $95 billion arms aid package for Ukraine and Israel, with Ukraine’s share being around $60 billion.
Johnson has faced opposition from far-right Republicans like Marjorie Taylor Greene who have not succeeded in their efforts to impeach him. Efforts to provide aid to Ukraine in the form of loans rather than grants have been a particular demand from Republicans on the edge, as well as utilizing frozen assets of Russian billionaires for this purpose.
An important victory for Johnson would be securing aid for a natural gas terminal under construction in Louisiana, which was halted by President Joe Biden due to environmental concerns. Ukraine faces significant challenges in its war against Russia, including a shortage of resources and ammunition. Despite White House efforts to sway reluctant Republican extremists to support aid for Ukraine, a resolution remains unresolved leaving the situation unresolved.
