Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is garnering support from his Baltic counterparts as he pushes for a vote to increase U.S. assistance to Ukraine, a move that follows months of intense diplomacy by European officials urging continued American leadership on the global stage.
In a letter sent Thursday, the heads of the Baltic parliaments expressed gratitude to Johnson for scheduling a vote on new U.S. assistance for Ukraine and urged swift passage on the House floor, with a vote expected on Saturday.
“We are counting on Congress to make the right decision and approve the assistance package to Ukraine that it so urgently needs,” the parliament leaders wrote.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (Credits: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
The letter, signed by Lauri Hussar, president of Estonia’s parliament (the Riigikogu); Daiga Mieriņa, Speaker of Latvia’s parliament (the Saeima); and Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Speaker of Lithuania’s parliament (the Seimas), reflects the acute concern in Europe over whether Congress will continue to provide aid to Ukraine, which has been under Russian invasion since February 2022.
House Republicans, many influenced by former President Trump, have opposed providing aid to Ukraine, causing delays in additional U.S. assistance. They argue that Europe should shoulder more of the financial burden for European security.
The Baltic states, NATO allies, fear that Russian President Vladimir Putin may attempt to invade their countries if victorious in Ukraine.
“Europe is taking historic steps to strengthen its defense capabilities, but this inevitably takes time that Ukraine does not have. That is why U.S. aid is indispensable at this crucial juncture,” the Baltic Speakers wrote.
Johnson had met with the three parliamentary leaders in January, during their visit to Washington advocating for the U.S. to fulfill commitments to Ukraine. At that time, he indicated plans to split President Biden’s national security supplemental request under pressure from Republican critics opposed to increased aid for Ukraine.
Mike Johnson (Credits: PBS)
Johnson made it known four separate bills on Wednesday, including aid to Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific, along with other national security priorities. He emphasized the importance of providing lethal aid to Ukraine despite a critical moment on the world stage.
His stance garnered support from Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who echoed his sentiments on social media.
Johnson’s leadership comes in the middle of pressure since assuming the role of Speaker in October, following the ousting of then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) by conservative Republicans, some of whom oppose increased aid to Ukraine. Despite threats of a motion to vacate from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Johnson remains committed to his course of action.
