US aid to Ukraine hinges on House Speaker Johnson. His leadership is being tested by the far right

By LISA MASCARO
AP Congressional Correspondent

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. aid for Ukraine is teetering in Congress, and it’s up to House Speaker Mike Johnson to decide what happens next. The Republican’s leadership will determine whether the House will agree to approve more assistance for its ally or allow the U.S. commitment to wither. When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke with congressional leaders in Washington late last year, he told them privately that with U.S. weapons they could win the war against Russia. He also said that without the weapons, Russian President Vladimir Putin would be victorious.  Johnson says he won’t be “rushed” into approving a $95.3 billion foreign aid package from the Senate. But he has yet to chart a path forward in his chamber.