Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer described Tuesday’s meeting at the White House with President Joe Biden and congressional leaders as “one of the most intense I’ve ever encountered.”

The leaders from both branches of government aimed to find common ground on Ukraine funding and prevent a partial shutdown.

Schumer, along with President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, emphasized the crucial importance of the issues at hand for the United States.

Notably absent from Schumer’s statement was House Speaker Mike Johnson, suggesting he may be the lone holdout on providing additional aid to Ukraine amid its ongoing conflict with Russia.

When asked about the intensity of the meeting, Schumer pointed to the urgency of the situation, expressing how shaken he was by his recent visit to Ukraine, CNN reported.

President Biden had stressed the imperative need for ongoing Ukraine aid, stating that the consequences of failing to pass additional aid would be “dire.”

Although the Senate had already passed a bill including aid for Ukraine and Israel, House Speaker Mike Johnson indicated hesitancy, stating that he did not plan to bring the bill to the floor.

A significant number of GOP House members also oppose further aid to Ukraine. Despite these challenges, Johnson expressed optimism about avoiding a shutdown before heading to the White House on Tuesday.

Written by B.C. Begley