Role of US Congress in Foreign Affairs Weakening Amid Ukraine Crisis - Reports

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd April, 2022) US Congress has demonstrated legislative inaction when it comes to the Ukraine crisis, despite bipartisan support for the Kiev authorities, The Washington Post reports.

The role of Congress in foreign affairs and US national security has been weakening and "clashes of egos, partisan politicking" and certain Senate rules have been standing in the way of getting things done, the newspaper said on Saturday citing interviews with over a dozen US lawmakers, aides and observers.

The only thing that Congress has done with respect to Ukraine was the $13.6 billion package of military and humanitarian aid for Kiev, passed last month as part of the Federal spending bill.

Senator James Risch (Idaho), the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told The Washington Post that the legislative stalemate was "the nature of the beast, unfortunately.

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According to the newspaper, the legislative logjam could break next week, but the situation is complicated because of the upcoming midterm elections.

On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics (DPR and LPR) appealed for help in defending themselves against the Kiev forces. Russia said that the aim of its special operation is to demilitarize and "denazify" Ukraine and that only military infrastructure is being targeted. In response to Russia's operation, Western countries have rolled out a comprehensive sanctions campaign against Moscow.