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President Biden and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged Thursday to aid Ukraine’s fight against Moscow for as long as it takes, saying a long-term commitment will force Russian President Vladimir Putin to reconsider whether the war is worth it.
The Kyiv commitment was one of several areas of agreement between the leaders, who have struggled to strike a bilateral trade pact but said after their Oval Office meeting that they are committed to better economic ties, including the protection of mineral supplies and the safe application of technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
Mr. Biden said he is convinced Congress will provide what it takes to support Ukraine even as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy pumps the brakes, saying he won’t bust through recently negotiated spending caps amid talk of a supplemental package for Ukraine.
“The fact of the matter is that I believe we’ll have the funding necessary to support Ukraine as long as it takes,” Mr. Biden said.
The president said the U.S. wants to help Ukraine repel Russian invaders and strengthen Kyiv’s military over the long term.
Likewise, Mr. Sunak said Britain is committed to sharing the burden so that Mr. Putin thinks twice about prolonging the conflict.
“There is no point in trying to wait us out, we’re not going anywhere,” said Mr. Sunak, the 43-year-old head of government who is making his first visit to the White House since becoming prime minister in October.
