The White House said Tuesday it will continue to “vigorously enforce all U.S. sanctions” on the Russian and Iranian arms trade to make it harder for Iran to sell weapons to Russia.
Watch the briefing in the player above.
The remarks by press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre come as Russia has stepped up the use of missiles and drones to attack infrastructure and cut power and water supplies to hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians.
Ukraine says Russia is getting thousands of these weapons from Iran.
Speaking at the White House briefing Tuesday, Jean-Pierre said the U.S. will continue to “stand with (its) partners throughout the region against the Iranian threat and will continue to surge unprecedented security assistance.”
But potentially complicating that plan, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy says funding for the war in Ukraine could face opposition if Republicans win enough seats during the midterms to control the House of Representatives next year.
The comments prompted immediate concerns about the Biden administration’s ability to maintain financial support for Kyiv as it battles the Russian invasion.
WATCH: State Department says Russia’s use of Iran drones is ‘deeply concerning’
Asked about the comments, Jean-Pierre sidestepped a direct rebuttal to McCarthy and instead thanked congressional leaders for bipartisan work to “support Ukraine to defend itself from Russia’s war crimes and atrocities.”
“We will continue to work with Congress and continue to monitor those conversations on these efforts and support Ukraine as long as it takes,” she said. “We are going to keep that promise that we’re making to the brave Ukrainians who are fighting every day, to fight for their freedom and their democracy.”
McCarthy’s statement, made in an interview with Punchbowl News, reflects a growing opposition from the right-wing flank of the party against federal spending abroad as domestic issues like high inflation remains rampant.
Congress has approved tens of billions in emergency security and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion in February, while the Biden administration has shipped billions worth of weapons and equipment from military inventories.
Read More: WATCH: White House affirms U.S. will stand with Ukraine against Iran and Russia