Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was yesterday to join a video summit with the leaders of the G7, chair Japan said, hours after unexpectedly skipping a virtual meeting with US senators, to help drum up support for funding for Ukraine.
The Washington meeting on Tuesday was to update senators on the situation in Ukraine and press them to vote on a US$106 billion aid package for Ukraine, Taiwan and Israel.
Almost two years after Russia’s invasion, signs are growing that Western support for Ukraine is fraying just as a counteroffensive struggles and as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s oil revenues rebound.
Photo: Reuters / handout / Ukrainian Presidential Press Service
In the meeting hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Zelenskiy was to “join the first part,” Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters.
Besides Ukraine, the talks were to cover the Middle East, support for developing countries and artificial intelligence, a White House official said.
Zelenskiy unexpectedly canceled the planned videolink appearance with US senators due to a “last-minute” hiccup, US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
The senator pressed ahead with the briefing only for the proceedings to turn into a war of words, with several Republican lawmakers walking out.
The US Congress is more divided over backing for Ukraine than it has been at any time during the nearly two-year conflict, with the country fast exhausting the military aid provided by the US so far.
Senate Republicans are making their support for additional Ukraine funding contingent on Democrats accepting reforms to the asylum system and tightened border security — measures the Democrats have already rejected.
The White House’s budget chief on Monday warned Congress that failure to agree on fresh funds for Ukraine by the end of the year would “kneecap” Kyiv on the battlefield, while US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen on Tuesday said the situation in Ukraine is indeed dire.
“We can hold ourselves responsible for Ukraine’s defeat if we don’t manage to get this funding to Ukraine,” she said as she began a three-day trip to Mexico.
“Ukraine is just running out of money,” Yellen said.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old