The Beden-Scholz meeting, what did they discuss?

United States President Joe Biden said Congress would be responsible if it fails to approve the financial package in aid to Ukraine and thanked German Chancellor Olaf Schelz for his leadership Friday to secure Germany's military assistance to Kiev.

Mr. Scholz, who is staying in Washington to support President Biden's efforts to secure funds for Kiev, met with the president at the White House to discuss Russian aggression against Ukraine, as well as the crisis in the Middle East.

Mr. Scholz said he was pleased that Europe had made the decision to offer financial support to Ukraine. Also, Germany was willing to boost its support for the supply of weapons. I hope Congress, the House of Representatives will stand by and decide to provide the necessary support to”, he added.

The US Senate agreed on Thursday to propose a new $95 billion aid package.

The proposal contains $60 billion in aid to Ukraine and $14 billion in Israel.

Mr. Scholz told reporters that President Putin “had detailed a completely absurd story about the origin of his war”, during an interview with former Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson, who became public Thursday.

“has a clear reason, and that is Russia's president's desire to annex parts of Ukraine”, He said.

Asked about Mr. Putin's suggestion of the exchange of prisoners, journalist of the Val Street Journal, Evan Gershkovich, who has been held in prison in Russia for nearly a year, with Vadim Krasikov, whom a German court found guilty of killing a former rebel Chechen leader in Berlin, Mr. Scholz said the issue should not be discussed publicly.

Last week, the European Union approved a 4-year aid package worth 50 billion euros for Ukraine

Ukraine, which aims to join NATO, relies on Western countries for military and financial assistance.

White House spokesman John Kirby said on Thursday that President Biden and Chancellor Scholz are also likely to discuss the situation in Gaza and threats by the rebels to Houthi against international ships at the Red Sea. / VOA