US Secretary of State Antony Blinken dressed his four-year-old son as Ukrainian President Volodymyrr Zelenskyy for a Halloween celebration at the White House, according to the New York Post. Antony Blinken’s three-year-old daughter was dressed in the blue and yellow colors of the Ukrainian flag. Blinken was accompanied by his wife, Evan Ryan, also Biden’s White House cabinet secretary, to the Halloween event on the White House lawn on Monday night.
US President Joe Biden posed as himself, wearing a baseball cap with the presidential seal
A large photo of the first dog, Commander, who allegedly bit Secret Service officials and gravely injured them, was one of the decorations hanging from the White House balcony, according to the New York Post. Antony Blinken’s son, dressed as the Ukrainian President and wearing a dark green hoodie, was presented with a box of M&Ms bearing the presidential seal.
Notably, the secretary of state has shown steadfast support for the war-torn country during congressional discussions over the most recent spending request for Ukraine. According to the New York Post, fiscal conservatives oppose the motion, citing the US government’s USD1.7 trillion budget deficit in fiscal year 2023, which ended on September 30.
Moritz Blinken, the US State Secretary’s grandpa, was born in Ukraine’s capital, then part of the Russian Empire, in 1900 and emigrated to the US with his family when he was four. According to the New York Post, Antony Blinken’s ancestors were Ukrainian Jews, similar to Zelenskyy’s.
In a recent request, US House Speaker Mike Johnson encouraged President Joe Biden to divide his USD 100 billion supplemental budget request between aid to Ukraine and aid to Israel, expressing concern over Republican support for a Ukraine package.
During an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Thursday, new Republican Speaker Johnson stated his position, saying, “I told the staff at the White House today that our consensus among House Republicans is that we need to bifurcate those issues.”
Mike Johnson proposes dividing the budget for Israel and Ukraine
President Biden’s budget request includes USD 14 billion to help Israel’s efforts against Hamas in Gaza, as well as USD 61 billion for Ukraine’s defense against Russia, as well as cash for US border security and Taiwan support.
While funding for Ukraine has been a point of contention among House Republicans, Johnson reiterated his support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
However, he emphasized the importance of fiscal responsibility, saying, “Now, we can’t allow Vladimir Putin to prevail in Ukraine, because I don’t believe it would stop there, and it would probably encourage and empower China to perhaps make a move on Taiwan. We have these concerns.”
“We’re not going to abandon them. But we have a stewardship responsibility over the precious treasure of the American people,” he continued, adding, “And we have to make sure that the White House is providing the people with some accountability for the dollars.
He also criticized the Biden administration’s approach to the Ukraine war effort, claiming that the White House has not presented an “endgame” for sustained support, as The Hill reported.