Pentagon to continue Ukraine-related activity even if there's a government shutdown

The possibility of a government shutdown currently looms in the U.S., but the Department of Defense will continue carrying out Ukraine-related activities even if there is a lapse in government appropriations, Defense Department spokesperson Chris Sherwood informed Politico.

"Operation Atlantic Resolve is an excepted activity under a government lapse in appropriations," Sherwood said, according to the outlet.

Politico reported that this means America's activities, such as training of Ukrainian troops and shipping armaments to the war-torn Eastern European nation, would continue in the event of a U.S. government shutdown.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with President Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday.

The Ukrainian leader has also met with U.S. lawmakers during his trip to America.

The U.S. has already shelled out billions of dollars' worth of aid to Ukraine as that country defends itself against a brutal Russian invasion, and there is broad bipartisan consensus in favor of providing even more U.S. assistance.

"American support for Ukraine is not charity. It's an investment in our own direct interests – not least because degrading Russia's military power helps to deter our primary strategic adversary, China," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, said in a statement.

"If you can't support Ukraine right now, that's un-American and you're not standing up for democracy," Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania said in as statement, according to The Hill. "The people of Ukraine had the courage to stand up and fight an evil empire, but now Republicans in the House do not even have the guts to have their back and support them. This is totally despicable."

But not all lawmakers are gung-ho about continuing to provide U.S. support for Ukraine.

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has said that he will not consent to expedited passage of any spending measure that supplies additional U.S. assistance to Ukraine.

"When will the aid requests end? When will the war end? Can someone explain what victory in Ukraine looks like?" Paul asked. "With no clear end in sight, it looks increasingly like Ukraine will be yet another endless quagmire funded by the American taxpayer."

GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has declared, "I will not vote for any funding bill that sends one penny to Ukraine."

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