Negotiations over the U.S. debt limit are intensifying as the deadline for a deal approaches. President Biden has agreed to have his staff meet directly with Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s aides, and the chances of getting a deal to increase the borrowing limit now seem higher. Republicans have demanded that any deal must include stricter work requirements for social safety net programs, which has drawn a backlash from liberal congressional Democrats. If Congress does not increase the debt ceiling, the government may run out of money as early as June 1, potentially defaulting on its debts and sending the financial markets and economy into chaos.
The Pentagon has significantly reduced its estimate of the value of weapons it has sent to Ukraine, freeing up at least $3 billion to supply Ukrainian troops with arms. The Biden administration has faced intensifying pressure to explain how it intended to continue supporting Ukraine without asking Congress to replenish its budget.
In other news, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is expected to attend an annual summit of Arab leaders for the first time in 13 years. He was shunned for brutally suppressing in 2011 his country’s Arab Spring uprising, which morphed into a grinding civil war. The Biden administration has made it clear that the U.S. has no plans to re-establish relations with Syria, and Human Rights Watch has urged the Arab countries normalizing ties with the Assad government to at least push for accountability and reforms.
The U.S. debt limit deadline is looming, and the consequences of not reaching a deal could be dire. The Biden administration is also facing pressure to explain how it intends to continue supporting Ukraine without asking Congress to replenish its budget. Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is making a remarkable comeback, attending an Arab summit for the first time in 13 years. It is a reminder of the complex political crosscurrents at play in the world today.