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narrator: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. and by judy and peter blum kovler foundation; pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. nouncer: and now, "bbc news". >> hi, i'm christian fraser and this is "the context." >> because of debt budget disputes between democrats and republicans, the ongoing for ukraine could -- >> president biden will announce a new military package to help ukraine protect its people. ♪ christian: president zelensky refused an opportunity to address a joint session of the u.s. congress today but has met

republican leaders to melt pet the case for more weapons and aid. how is that received? thoughts tonight from capitol hill. also tonight, rupert murdoch unquestionably one of the most influential figures of the modern era. today he handed the reigns of his powerful companies to his eldest son and another allegation landed against the actor and mete comedian russell brand, this time in l.a. good evening. thank you cranian president zelensky is in the white house this hour at the end of a busy day in which he's been lobbying the u.s. congress for more americ aid. his visit comes at a fraught time in washington. house republicans wilded over spending. the u.s. government hurtling towards a shutdown. the -- 24 billion of aid and further military spending the approve has been removed from

the stopgap bill house speaker kevin mccarthy agreed last night. >> what rush i-has done is wrong and we have swept, when you look through history, trillions of dollars worried about then the soviet union and now putin. we don't have any american men or women on the ground. we believe in standing up for democracy and we'll continue to do that but the one thing i've always said in this job, no matter what the issue is i always firm lip believe you have to have accountability these are hard-working taxpayer dollars. i want to make sure there's accountability where the resources are going. i want to see a plan of what we're looking for victory and i think members will have their questions as well. christian: president zelensky, that coincides with russian developments back at home. four missiles were missouri last

night again targeting thank you cranian infrastructure. perspective zelensky again spoke for more mill tommy espinoza, particularly from the air. we'll show you some pictures from the front lawn where we're expecting president zelensky soon to appear. let's talk about what president biden can give zelensky. jake talking about the patriot missile systems and the air defenses. >> what president buyton can give and what congress signs off on, of course, is a very different matter. the white house and the biden administration calling for $24 billion worth of aid in terms of weaponry and humanitarian aid to be signed off on. of course, president zelenkyy

finding a country which is mired in its own debate about federal spending and exactly what will be signed off on so if the zelensky make the case for more weaponry, for long-range missiles. in flash those which have a range of around 300 kilometers allowing for more defense against russian positions but it comes at a difficult time. it remains to be seen whether that will be signed off on and this is a very different meeting. let's take you back to nine months ago when we saw president zelensky here, that standing ovation when we saw the joint address to congress. a hereo's welcome, ukrainian flags unfold. this time around and this ishe heart of the matter, questions being raised from speaker of the house kevin mccarthy about really what should be signed off on and raising questions of

accountability for the money that goes to ukraine. also saying that americans, hard-working taxpayers will want to know ukraine's plan for victory and also raising questions about how potentially this kind of federal spending could be used on over matters and in support of that what we've seen is 29 republican lawmakers coming together to sign a letter saying that u.s. congress should not be signing off on this $24 billion for ukraine so the federal spending bill and the fate of ukraine is very much tied together but the call from president zelensky and from perspective biden remains that this isn't just about helping ukraine to defend itself but also about global security and that's something we've seen throughout the course of the week with president zelensky at the u.n. security council as well. christian: the decision to strip the funding from the spending

bill won't be very popular in the congress but may be more popular by the country. american support for the war is starting to wane. 55% saying no, congress should not authorize more spending for ukraine and that is 71% among republicans so perhaps the speaker of the house is in line with the thinking of public opinion. >> it's imptant to take a careful look at those polls. what caught my eye is you drill down into those numbers as well, eight out of 10 americans, republicans and democrats are expressing fatigue essentially now with this war saying they don't believe and they're concerned about how long this war is going on. we're now 19 months in and this is this critical moment in terms of support so they are concerned about signing off on more weaponry. we are going into an election year, of course next year as well.

inevitably domestic issues start to ce to the fore once again. with you as a count of point on what thank you cranian government has said and will said is swift signing off on weaponry is what's needed to turn the tide. whether that's with thank, f-16 fighter jets. that has been the argument. that it's a grinding counter offensive. could it potentially have been a quicker one had the military arsena been more comprehensively stocked from the get-go. christian: president zel effects nsky saying if we don't get this aid we lose the war. is it as stark as that? >> that is the new england he gave and was reiterated by chuck schumer as well. certainly thank you cranians need this wellry. think about what we're seeing in terms of poland and that

diplomatic issue with regards to grain. and poland saying they wouldn't commit further for the time being. certainly with this grinding counter offensive now 19 months on. it would be hard to see how ukrainians would be able to turn the tide on russian aggression without more weapons. if you look at what's been achieved in this counter offensive. limited gangs i think is the way that it's betapace compared to last year, for example in that counter offensive when we saw two rapid, successive gains in that counter offensive then seeing that hero's welcome for zelensky so i think it's fair to say it is as stark as that they said we need to remind the american public in why this is so important in terms of defeating a russia which as president zelensky has said, won't just stop at ukraine's

borders. were ukraine to fall in zelensky's mind and many analysts around the world, president putin would be looking beyond ukraine's borders. christian: the flags have come to the fore in the pirn there on the right-hand side and the photographers have got to it, it would appear, that in the next few moments, the two leaders will going to apeer on the front lawn of the white house. talk to me about the role that mitch mcconnell, the minority long islander plays in in. he's an institutional, very much in support of thank you cranian aid, so what happens when that spending bill goes from the house to the senate without ukrainian aid attached to it? >> such an important question. wherever the hammered out in the republican party in the house,

if it's not going to include that provision for ukrainian aid, by mitchell mcconnell's position, it likely won't pass in the democratic controlled senate so that makes it essentially a nonstarter and then once again, whatever happens in the house, we're still hurtling towards that deadline of september 30 nine days away with the potential for a government shutdown. mitchell mcdonald connell, as you pointed out, is an institutionalist, has had very clear support for further funding for ukraine and the senate has already handi handicappedout a bipartisan iteration of this bill which would include support for this bill. so it's very unlikely that it would pass. as a veteran politician, mitch mcconnell has said we don't want to see a government shutdown. government shutdowns very rarely produce any kind of policy change. remember, this is a man who has

experienced them in the past and then his warning to the republican party and particularly to that hardline flank and those five members in the house is this could actually end up backfiring against you when ultimately you're sending federal government workers home or even asking them to continue on the job without any pay. so his message is that too many people here stand to lose and what we're seeing is a federal government wasn't and funding for ukraine incredibly linked. christian: yeah, you're right that this ukrainian aid is caught up in the machinations of washington politics and we can't overlook the role that former president donald trump plays in that. there was a post he put on true social last night which he said congress can and will -- must defund all aspects of the

crooked joe biden wednesdayed wasn't. -- weaponized bunk. so the hard line is within the house and i think you said 20-odd republicans have written to the white house today acknowledging support of this aid but the hard line is they're going to stick to that post because presumably they're taking instructions from the former president. >> indeed they are and this is a former president, of course, whose policy is well known as being machine isolationist, make america great again, america first and this is not necessarily a policy which would advocate for further spending as well for ukraine so they're taking their calls from -- cause from donald trump, who still has the ability not only to influence those 29 with that letter but those five hardliners who are making more ideological demands when it comes to the

defense bill, at least in the house as well. so that very much is continuing, i think, to have a sway and we do have to pointout that, of course, kevin mccarthy, speaker of the house is very cognizant of that as well in terms of his role and the role that the former president has and his fate and job as speaker of the house. christian: we'll leave it there for the note. will you let's move ansteying on ukraine. there is some news tonight from warsaw that the government ask looking to walk back the early comments from the prime minister that poland was ending it military aid to ukraine. poland has been ukraine's staunches alleys but this would ordinarily go through the black sea but now it goes overland through european markets. that is angering the polish farmers. pole land is in a run-up to

elections. the prime minister's office said his statements have been misunderstood and wrongly interpreted and poland said a spokesman is continuing to supply previous ate agreements for aid and armaments. programs as we look at the pictures of the white house we could start with the polish issue because even if aid was supplied, that aid has to come through the polish border. how concerned are you by the rhetoric and some of the threats that you've heard from the polish government? >> first of all, i'm sure that there's much more which younitis ukraine and poland than divides us and i'm sure that after polish election we will fix all these problems. we have a common enemy, a common european future and i don't

think we will have big problems with poland in our rhythms. so that is more about polish elections. that's what i think and i believe in the future of our relationships and it's declare why. ukraine is desperate for polish support but poland, if ukraine -- i don't believe in this but if ukraine would fail, that would mean that rushier would be on the boarders with poland and huge security challenges they would have. that's why it's important to have as close relationships as possible and not to giveny joy to mr. putin in watching any conflict between our countries. >> there's about 40 fighting days probably left until the winter sets in and things get much more difficult for the counter offensive. time is of the essence but it

strikes me given that we're talking about thecies in poland and the election there and the ramifications of what's going on in the u.s. congress at the moment that ukraine's war effort is beingalfered by an awful lot of politics and it doesn't look very likely at the moment that that crucial aid joe biden wants to send to ukraine is going to be available anytime soon. >> yeah, i'm quite disappointed for the moment when i heard that the united states and the administration of president biden hasn't made a decision to deliver to ukraine its accomplicic missiles which are desperately needed. that is disappointed and i don't agree with you that thank you cranian counter offensive will stop in the future because of the change of weather because today ukraine is using infantry

because of russian mind fields and not having air superiority. it means it's hard for us to make quick mousse but at the same time it means that we are not so much dependent on weather and i think we will continue our counter offensive even in late awes up months and during the winter. we will continue to do our betts but definitely for us to have a real huge and serious success, we need for recommendry -- wellry in the modern world to attack with our disadvantage in number of artillery and munitions. ukraine is doing this. for russia, it's hard to keep the lines, to have gains. but will we have a breakthrough? it depends on the weaponry that we receive. i understand there is a lot of domestic politics now in the

united states and poland and other places around this war. but before ukraine can restore its integrity, before rushier invasion will be completely stopped, that will mean there is no international law in the world, no international law in the world. that means that every place on the planet is in danger. many people are used to what's going on but in reality we're in a very dangerous position. don't forget about -- and how it was developing -- christian: i've been really struck this week at some of the things president zelenskyas said in those interviews he's given to the american networks. he's clearly trying to bring home to people in the united states what it's like to live daily under the dom bardment and where the aid is going and the fact that it's so important. the fact that he has to do that, does that in some respect speak

to the failure on the part of biden administration to make the case of the war in the united states? >> i don't think it is a failure. by natural process, people got used to something which they were shown before but really they got used to this but one of the reasons ukraine should remind to the united states and other companies that it is also an extreme think successful investment. ukrainian army destroyed at least 50% of russian conventional army and weapon potential and rushier is the seconds most dangerous rival for the united states after china and also for the whole of nato. i think this is extremely successful investment, one of the best in the history of the united states. i think this is important to remind to people in the united

states of america the as well as people throughout the whole western world. >> irrespective of whether that $24 billion materializes, i think it stands to reason that thank you cranians will continue to fight as bravely as they have over the last two years. i just wanter -- wonder how you view some of mr. zelensky's rhetoric. if we don't get this money we lose the war. is it as bad as that? >> the situation is bad and every day is exhausting and pharynx wouldn't supply of weaponry for the either as well as from other countries investment the united kingdom many times showed phillip supply of weaponry, we -- leadership in

supply of weaponry,le with will in a bad position. christian: we saw overnight the bombardment in cities to the west and in kyiv but again, the targeting of the energy insulations. how concerned are you that that is now part of the russian strategy again? >> exactly. that is russia's style of war fare to cause as much suffering to civilians as possible. we're entering winter soon and russia will attack facilities and power grilled and millions of ukrainians can be frozen to depth if the weather will be really harsh, if the winters will be really severe so that's why i think air defense is something -- even not about military targets and aid but about human targets. millions of women and children

are dependent whether ukrainian skies will be defended or not. the only way to defend it is more air defense to ukraine, including ammunition. also don't forget about economics. wouldn't the power grilled, economics can't survive. ukraine is a crucial part of world food computer this situation has shown it to the world. it's also a challenge not just for tour country. 500 million people in the world are dependentn ukraine caroms. and if russia will continue to disrupt our agriculture cycle and not allow ukrainian grain to leave the country, these people will go to starvation. prices will peak in rich countries and millions of people will be on the edge of life and depth and that will mean migrants and huge instability in

the world. christian: thank you so much. always good to see you. let's bring back helena who's at the white house. forgive me if i interrupt you, i think they are soon going to appear. i listened to the democrat representative today, former c.i.a. officer. she said at the moment the united states is making day-to-day decisions on the strategic alliances because one guy wants to keep his job. he's talking about the house speaker. is she right? is this a lot about the politics of one man? >> the criticism is very much about what kevin mccarthy, the speaker of the house, is prepared to do in an effort for several preservation, in an effort to keep his speakership. i think it's worth zooming out here and reminding our viewers

of all t context to this because when mccarthy got his job for speaker of the house it came after vote after vote after vote for it to be septembered and agreed to and it came to calve kratz and coon sessions and those were linked to the bunts and federal spending. we're here, this is crunch time and the moment that kevin mccarthy has to come good on those promises. so in the house, around five lawmakers on the right of the republican party are starting to hold him to account on various different regards, putting him in a very difficult situation because looming over all of this is any kind of possibility to put a forward motion to vacate to oust him from his job from

this position so you see something so huge such as a federal spending bill and how the government goes forward with its objectives and funding for ukraine tied to these demands and tied to this fight with a small minority in the republican party so i think there is probably some value in that criticism which you just alluded to there. christian: if you're just joining us here on "bbc news," you are watching pictures of the white house where president zelensky has been meeting with president biden in the last hour. we are expecting the two leaders to walk down those steps and perhaps make some brief comments to the gally of journalists. it's been a very busy day for president zelensky. he's been on the hill today speaking to republican leaders. no speaking to joint session of

the house. that was denied to him by kevin mccarthy but an extraordinarily important day with $24 billion of narrator: funding for this presentation of this program is provided by... narrator: financial services firm, raymond james. narrator: funding was also provided by, the freeman foundation. and by judy and peter blum kovler foundation; pursuing solutions for america's neglected needs. ♪ ♪

♪ ♪ narrator: funding for this presentation of this program is provided by... woman: architect. bee keeper. mentor. a raymond james financial advisor tailors advice to help you live your life. life well planned.