A Shutdown in the US Has Only Been Averted in the Short Term

If radical Republicans win the dispute in the House of Representatives, a shutdown will loom in November.

The fact that the shutdown was surprisingly averted will please U.S. soldiers and civil servants, who will now continue to get paid. Otherwise, there is bad news with respect to a temporary budget.

Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is now in fear of losing his position because opponents in his party want him out as speaker after he and other moderate Republicans voted with the Democrats for the budget compromise.* If they win this dispute, a shutdown looms in November.

In the short term, Kyiv does not need to worry that Congress has not approved additional aid. But even if the Democrats renegotiate promised funds for the war-torn country, Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government should know that the U.S. is war weary, especially given that calls to stop fully supporting Ukraine are also getting louder in Europe including Slovakia. Germany and Kyiv’s other European allies must be prepared to step in if the U.S. or other countries grow less willing to support Kyiv.

*Editor’s Note: The House voted to vacate the position of speaker held by Kevin McCarthy on Oct. 3.