Former President Donald Trump has suggested that he would support Republicans approving Ukraine aid in the form of a loan, but that Europe must “equalize” its efforts to help Ukraine in its war against Russia.
During a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), President Trump said they are “thinking about making it in the form of a loan instead of just a gift.”
“We keep handing out gifts of billions and billions of dollars, and we’ll take a look at it,” the former president said.
“But much more importantly to me is the fact that Europe has to step up, and they have to give money. They have to equalize. If they don’t equalize I’m very upset about it, because they’re affected much more than we are.”
President Trump has been skeptical of Washington’s support for Ukraine in its war against Russia and said that he would bring the fighting to an end within 24 hours if he were to return to the White House.
The former president has previously called on the U.S. government to stop sending money in the form of foreign aid to any country “unless it is done as a loan.”
Mr. Johnson, who was also present during the press conference, has delayed for months a House vote on legislation already passed by the Democratic-led Senate providing $60 billion in aid for Ukraine.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attends a press conference during the "Ukraine Year 2024" forum in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 25, 2024. (Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images)
Ukraine Willing to Accept US Aid in Loan
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told a local broadcaster last week that his government would be open to accepting U.S. aid in the form of loan if that is the only option left.
“You know, a senator was here recently, and he asked me: would you agree to take the loan money? I said, ‘What are the options?’ He said, ‘Well, if, for example, they tell you that the money is a loan or you won’t get it.’ I said, ‘What’s the point of such an election if there is no choice?’
“Let’s be honest: we will agree to any option. I'll tell you more: if Ukraine was offered a package on credit today or free of charge in a year, we would say: only today. There is no choice here. Our only choice is to survive and win. We are trying to do this in different ways. This is about the loan. Important: the sooner the better,” he said.
But Mr. Zelenskyy said he remains optimistic in getting “a positive vote” from the U.S. Congress.
“Unfortunately, we are a bit hostage to this situation. Unfortunately, the issue of Ukraine, namely the issue of Russia’s war against Ukraine, has become a domestic political issue in the United States today. Although this is the security of the whole world,” he remarked.
Ukraine Aid Package in Progress
Mr. Johnson told Fox News on March 31 that legislation to provide additional aid for Ukraine is being drafted in the House and will be brought to the floor when members return from their current recess.
“When it comes to the supplemental, we’ve been working to build that consensus. We’ve been talking to all the members, especially now over the district work period. When we return after this work period, we’ll be moving a product, but it’s going to, I think, have some important innovations,” he said.
Mr. Johnson has been supportive of continued aid for Ukraine but has also stressed the importance of securing the United States’s own borders first.
When the Senate passed legislation that included funding for both Ukraine and immigration enforcement, he led the opposition in the House on the grounds that the bill heavily prioritized Ukraine and offered no significant border policy reforms.
As of yet, there has been no agreement reached on the crisis at the U.S.–Mexico border. While President Joe Biden and Democrats say additional funding is needed to stop the historic surge of illegal immigrants into the United States, Republicans hold that the president already possesses the funds and authority to fix the problem.
