White House calls Johnson's statement about support for Israel without Ukraine aid 'cynical maneuver'

That's according to a statement from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, Ukrinform reports.

"For months the administration has been working with a bipartisan group of Senators on a national security agreement that secures our border and provides support for the people of Ukraine and Israel," she said, adding that "just as legislative text is imminent, the House Republicans come up with their latest cynical political maneuver."

According to Jean-Pierre, "the security of Israel should be sacred, not a political game."

The Biden administration strongly opposes "this ploy which does nothing to secure the border, does nothing to help the people of Ukraine defend themselves against Putin's aggression, and denies humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, the majority of them women and children, which the Israelis supported by opening the access route," the statement said.

House Republicans should instead work in a bipartisan way, like the administration and Senate are doing, on these pressing national security issues, Jean-Pierre added.

Earlier, House Speaker Mike Johnson pledged that the House would hold a vote next week on legislation to speed $17.6 billion in security assistance to Israel with no strings attached, a move likely to complicate Senate leaders' efforts to rally support for a broader package with border security measures and aid to Ukraine.