\n<\/p>\n
President Biden in a new interview dismissed the idea that the United States could not simultaneously support Israel in its war against Hamas and Ukraine in its war against Russia.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re the United States of America for God\u2019s sake, the most powerful nation in the history\u2013 not in the world, in the history of the world,\u201d Biden said in a \u201c60 Minutes\u201d interview that aired Sunday. \u201cWe can take care of both of these and still maintain our overall international defense.\u201d<\/p>\n
Biden argued that the two conflicts \u201coverwhelmingly\u201d relate to the safety of the American people.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn Ukraine one of my objectives was to prevent [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, who has committed war crimes himself, who\u2013 from being able to occupy an independent country that borders NATO allies and is on the Russian border,\u201d Biden said. \u201cImagine what happens now if he were able to succeed. Have you ever known a major war in Europe we didn\u2019t get sucked into? We don\u2019t want that to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to make sure those democracies are sustained. And Ukraine is critical in making sure that happens,\u201d Biden added.<\/p>\n
Biden sat down with \u201c60 Minutes\u201d at the White House days after Hamas, the militant group that controls Hamas, launched terrorist attacks against Israel that left 1,000 Israelis dead. Thousands morePalestinians have been killed during ensuing fighting in Gaza.<\/p>\n
More than two dozen Americans were killed in the attacks, and more than a dozen remain unaccounted for.<\/p>\n
The Biden administration has moved military assets closer to Israel in support of the Jewish state and has sent munitions and interceptors for Israel\u2019s Iron Dome defense system.<\/p>\n
At the same time, Congress has provided billions of dollars in military and financial assistance to Ukraine in the roughly 20 months since Russia launched an unprovoked invasion in February 2022.<\/p>\n
The White House is expected to ask Congress to provide additional aid to Israel in the coming days, and officials are likely to try and package that request with an ask for more assistance for Ukraine. The House however, which currently sits without a Speaker, is unable to pass any legislation before someone is officially elected to the post.<\/p>\n
While there is bipartisan support for both Israel and Ukraine in Congress, some House Republicans have voiced opposition to continued aid for Ukraine, questioning how it benefits the U.S.<\/p>\n
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. <\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n