Biden to Zelenskiy: US Congress should not give Putin a Christmas gift

U.S. President Joe Biden on Tuesday (December 12) told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy not to give up hope in his country's fight against Russia's invasion, saying the U.S. Congress should fund additional aid.

Biden also announced $200 million in separate military assistance for the country.

Heading into winter, with tens of thousands of Ukrainians dead, a yawning budget deficit and Russian advances in the east, Zelenskiy is asking Washington to provide badly needed support.

Some Republicans, particularly those with the closest ties to former President Donald Trump, oppose more Ukraine aid and are asking about the war aims and how U.S. money is being spent. They say any further money must be paired with changes to immigration policy -- an exceptionally divisive issue in U.S. politics.

Other Republicans questioned whether additional aid would help Ukraine defeat Russia after a summer offensive that has failed to yield clear gains.