With the demise of the border deal, there is no clear path for support for Ukraine and Israel in Congress

Congressional Republicans' decision to torpedo a bipartisan border deal has jeopardized the fate of aid to Ukraine and Israel, blocking what was seen as the best remaining avenue on Capitol Hill for approval of crucial military aid to US allies was cut off. .

The political paralysis in the face of pleas from President Biden, lawmakers in both parties and leaders around the world for quick action immediately raised questions about whether Congress could save the relief package — and if so, how.

In the Republican-led House of Representatives, where many conservatives have opposed new aid to Kiev and the border deal negotiated in the Senate, lawmakers were expected to vote Tuesday on legislation that would send $17.6 billion in military aid to Israel . But that measure drew fierce opposition from far-right Republicans who complained that the money did not come with cuts, as well as from Democrats and Mr. Biden, who has threatened a veto and called the bill a cynical attempt to pre-empt security legislation mediated in the Senate.

The $118.3 billion Senate bill, which will receive a test vote Wednesday, also appeared dead before it reached the floor, after a growing number of Republicans — even those who filed the charge to negotiate it — declared to vote in favor. block it.

“Joe Biden will never enforce a new law and refuses to use the tools he already has today to end this crisis,” said Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the No. 3 Republican. “I cannot vote for this bill. Americans will turn to the upcoming elections to end the border crisis.”

The grim reality seemed to be sinking in among the country's allies and diplomatic leaders, who have watched anxiously for months hoping for momentum on Capitol Hill to approve aid, despite clear signs that the strong bipartisan consensus on such a measure is meeting it was staggering.

In an unusual letter, a group of U.S. ambassadors stationed in the Indo-Pacific region on Monday urged congressional leaders to secure passage of legislation providing aid to Ukraine, Israel and Pacific allies, saying America's credibility with its strategic partners is at stake. line.

But what Mr. Biden and others had hoped might be a temporary political problem that would hinder such an effort instead turned out to be a fundamental change in the dynamics in Congress that could undermine it entirely.

For months, many in the White House and abroad had followed the conventional wisdom and assumed that the combined will of a handful of like-minded congressional leaders, the chairmen of the National Security Committee and Mr. Biden would be enough to funnel new funding to Ukraine over the to get to the finish line. line.

But a restive Republican voter base is determined to send another round of aid to Ukraine, and rank-and-file Republicans, especially in the slim-majority House, have joined forces to oppose any real movement.

After reports indicated there was no clear path for Congress to approve aid to Ukraine and Israel Tuesday morning, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida was elated on social media. He quoted a line from the movie “Apocalypse Now”: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning!”