Senator Chuck Schumer, the majority leader, is traveling to Ukraine on Friday for a visit meant to show American solidarity with a democratic ally under attack by Russia and increase the pressure on Republicans to drop their opposition to additional U.S. aid.
The trip, Mr. Schumer’s first official one to Ukraine, comes at a critical time, as a foreign assistance package that includes more than $60 billion in military aid for Kyiv is stalled on Capitol Hill amid Republican resistance.
It amounts to something of a victory lap for Mr. Schumer, the New York Democrat who managed to maneuver the aid bill through the Senate this month with a resoundingly bipartisan vote that came after months of partisan wrangling.
But it is also a last-ditch bid to salvage the legislation in the House.
Under pressure from right-wing hard-liners hostile to funding Ukraine’s war effort, the Republican speaker, Mike Johnson, has rejected bipartisan entreaties to put it on the floor.
Persons:
Chuck Schumer, Schumer’s, Schumer, Mike Johnson
Organizations:
Capitol, Republican, Mr, New York Democrat
Locations:
Ukraine, Russia