Kirby: US will not be sending troops to Ukraine

U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby speaks during a news conference in Washington, D.C., on March 21, 2023. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The U.S. will not send American troops to Ukraine, U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said at a press conference on Feb. 27.

Kirby was responding to French President Emmanuel Macron's recent statement that the possibility of sending Western troops to Ukraine is not "ruled out" in the future.

"President Biden has been crystal clear since the beginning of this conflict: there will be no U.S. troops on the ground in a combat role in Ukraine," Kirby stated.

The U.S. President met with Congressional leadership, including Speaker Mike Johnson, earlier today to discuss the long-awaited Ukraine aid package that's been frozen in the U.S. House of Representatives for weeks.

Earlier this month, the Senate approved a $95 billion foreign aid bill that included $60 billion in financial and security assistance for Ukraine. The bill continues to face deadlock in the Republican-led House as Speaker Johnson refuses to bring the legislation to a vote.

President Biden also reportedly discussed extending temporary federal government funding to prevent a partial government shutdown on March 1.

"I think the consequence of inaction every day in Ukraine is dire. I’ve been speaking to some of our G7 partners, and they’re very concerned," Biden said in a statement.

Delays in U.S. aid have already had an impact on the ground in Ukraine. The loss of Avdiivka, a Donetsk Oblast city that has faced Russian attacks since 2014, was linked to shortages in artillery shells and other supplies provided by the West.

Read also: Opinion: As an American in Avdiivka, what is Congress doing?