President Joe Biden lost his temper in a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in June when he immediately continued to press for more aid even after Biden approved $1 billion worth of military assistance, NBC News reported Monday.
The president raised his voice when Zelenskyy started listing all the additional assistance he needed and was not getting, arguing the Ukrainian leader could show more gratitude for the American people's generosity, according to four people familiar with the call.
Administration officials said the two leaders' relationship has improved since that phone call, after Zelenskyy made a statement praising the United States for its help.
The attempt to provide Ukraine with more weapons and equipment has intensified in recent weeks as Kyiv tries to make significant gains before harsh winter temperatures set in, but Biden now faces resistance from some Republicans and Democrats that was not there when Congress approved previous funds for the Ukrainian war effort.
This comes as a recent Pew Research Center poll showed the percentage of Americans who are extremely or very concerned about Kyiv losing the war has dropped by 17 percentage points since May, from 55% to 38%. The proportion of Americans who say they are not too concerned or not at all concerned about Moscow winning was up from 16% to 26%.
The possible change in political will in the U.S. continuing to send massive aid to Ukraine could make it more difficult for Biden to secure approval.
The U.S. has provided approximately $20 billion in aid to Kyiv since the Kremlin invaded the country in February, according to the New York Post.
Ukraine has apparently bolstered its efforts to recapture key territory before the winter in order to show momentum on the battlefield and encourage the flow of more weapons, NBC News reported.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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