House Speaker Holds Ukraine's Fate in His Hands – Executive Digest

Mike Johnson, the speaker of the US House of Representatives, holds Ukraine's fate in his hands: The last-ditch Republican to lead the House's mutinous majority last year will help ease Kiev's anguish and ensure its survival as a would-be independent nation. days, so allow a vote on a bill that includes the $60 billion the Pentagon has pledged to help Kiev fight back effectively.

However, according to CNN, the Louisiana Republican's reluctance is due to Donald Trump's growing power in the Republican Party and his party's sharp departure from its pro-Democratic global heritage.

Mike Johnson is under increasing pressure on several fronts at home and abroad: Without a budget deal with the Democrat-dominated Senate, the government could rush into a partial shutdown by the end of this week. This Tuesday, a meeting of four key congressional leaders at the White House will be decisive.

Internationally, there are growing calls from Republicans who oppose more aid to Kiev, particularly the pro-Trump faction. So Johnson's predicament is getting worse: The Biden administration has indicated that he is the only man who can thwart or enable Putin's effort to wipe Ukraine off the map. Volodymyr Zelensky has already warned that Ukraine cannot repel Russia without its help. Foreign governments have called on Johnson to take action.

The fate of forward Kevin McCarthy, who was dropped by his own side last year, raises daily doubts about Johnson's ability to survive. The threat comes from the speaker of the House's own far-right wing, in a party that has become increasingly nationalist, populist and isolationist since being replaced by Trump. A $60 billion aid package for a foreign democracy is incompatible with the former president's “Make America Great Again” drive — and is widely opposed by grassroots Republican voters.

Even if Johnson wants to recover Ukraine, doing so may be politically impossible: Nothing is guaranteed in a volatile Congress, with a Republican majority in the House of Representatives that has rendered America virtually impersonal and threatens its global leadership. US share.