A harsh winter has descended on Ukraine, a Volodymyr Zelenskyy is here in Washington, urging# Congress to unfreeze badly needed military aid.

AMNA NAWAZ: That debate over aid comes# as a declassified U.S. intelligence## assessment details staggering losses for Russia,## nearly 90 percent of its pre-war force# either killed or wounded in Uk Lisa Desjardins is on Capitol# Hill and begins our coverage.

LISA DESJARDINS: A president at war flanked# by Democratic and Republican leaders.

QUESTION: What does it mean if you# don't get aid by the end of the year?

LISA DESJARDINS: For Ukraine President# Volodymyr Zelenskyy,this third tr Washington after the Russian invasion# has been the most complicated, as Congress has slowed down talks# over whether to send him help.

He met with nearly all U.S.# senators in the morning.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): It was a very# powerful m it so clear how he needs help, but, if# he gets the help, he can win this war.

LISA DESJARDINS: Though a different message# from House Republicans.

Speaker Mike Johnson,## but not his full conference, met with Zelenskyy.

REP. MIKE JOHNSON (R-LA): What the Biden# administration billions of additional dollars# with no appropriate oversigh no clear strategy to win, and none of the answers# that I think the American LI SA DESJARDINS: Zelenskyy's trip come as Congress# is divided over President Biden's request for an## additional $110 billion.

That would include# some $61 billion in aid for Ukraine, about## $14 billion each for Israel and border security,# and more than $9 billion for humanitarian aid.

Senators told us Zelenskyy# was powerful and impressive,## but, for Senate Republicans, that's not the issue.

Migrant crossings into the U.S.# continue to set new records,## hitting more than 10,000 apprehensions# per day by Border Patrol in the past## few weeks.

Republicans say, until# there are significant policy changes,## like dramatically curbing asylum and parole,# they will not approve money for Ukraine.

SEN. KEVIN CRAMER (R-ND): An investment of# U.S. dollars into Ukraine's defense is a good## investment, but it doesn't change the context, it# doesn't change the criteria for me, and that is,## we have to defend ourselves first.

And we can# demonstrate that by securing the Southern border.

LISA DESJARDINS: All this comes as# Ukraine's monthslong counteroffensive## that began in June is frozen# in place as winter descends.

And a new U.S. assessment says Russia# believes a military deadlock through the## winter would drain Western support for# Ukraine and advantage Moscow.

Democrats## on Capitol Hill are the Ukraine hawks# and warning that time is running out,## with Congress scheduled to recess# for the holidays later this week.

REP. PETE AGUILAR (D-CA): We stand ready# and willing to engage on these topics and## to provide assistance.

But we also understand the# timeline ahead of us.

Th JOE BIDEN, President of the United States:# And I'm willing to do significantly more.

LISA DESJARDINS: President Biden has# bu t Democrats and Republicans# are far apart on a possible Now Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell is# openly saying Biden must personally g JOE BIDEN: Welcome back.

LISA DESJARDINS: W JOE BIDEN: We want to see Ukraine win# the war.

And as I have said before,## winning means Ukraine is a# sovereign, independent nation,## and that can afford to defend itself# today and deter further aggression.

VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, Ukrainian# President: Putin wants -- wants## a prolonged war.

We dream of# a Christmas in t of course, and we are working to turn# our battlefield success into peace.

LISA DESJARDINS: Ukraine and# those near it are waiting to## see what the White House and Congress do next.

AMNA NAWAZ: And Lisa joins# us now from Capitol Hill,## Laura Barron-Lopez is here with me in studio,# and Nick Nick, you were at that press conference there# at the White House.

As Lisa just reported,## President Zelenskyy made a passionate,# powerful case for continued support.## What's the context we need to understand# here for that message he's delivering?

NICK SCHIFRIN: Amna, it's a bit of a# Hail Mary, because, as Lisa reported,## without significant border concessions,# Congress is not going to pass the te billions of dollars that Ukraine needs.# At least they won't pass it right now.

And Ukraine is also concerned that# Hungary is on the verge this week of# blocking tens of billions of dollars# of European aid.

And for Ukrain Ukraine says that both of those packages are# the difference between victory and defeat.

And what does that mean?

Ukraine thinks# that, without that money, it will run out## of air defense that prevents Russian jets from# flying all over the country.

th at it won't ever get enough long-range# missiles to threaten Russian-occupied Crimea,## which Zelenskyy said today was one of# the ways Ukraine could win the war.

And Ukraine is concerned that it won't be able# to pay its bills.

Its government needs $4 billion## a month just to pay its bills.

Samantha Power,# USAID director, today said that, without ongoing## economic assistance, Putin can win the war# without Russian forces firing another shot.

That said, Amna, it's important to# note that the Pentagon says it's has## $900 million worth of funds that it# could use to repleni that it can still send to Ukraine today,# even if Congress doesn't pass that aid.

AMNA NAWAZ: Laura, you know a number of foreign# leaders come to visit Washington.

Presiden doesn't always host a joint press conference# like the one today.

What does th is war and also the threat of no more# aid for Ukraine mean for President Biden?

LAURA BARRON-LOPEZ: It's a big# deal for the president, Amna.

I mean, the president, as well as the White# House, has made cl that if additional funding is not passed by# Congress, then the money that they currently## have allocated for Ukraine, it runs out# at the end of the year.

And aides inside## the White House are definitely frustrated.# That's what I have been hearing from them.

They essentially are saying that# the president's key foreign policy## mission of keeping NATO unified in the face of# Russian aggression is at stake here.

And, also,## the president has promised that he is someone who# can maintain U.S. leadership on the world stage,## he can combat autocracies and authoritarianism.# And if this doesn't happen, if this doesn't pass,## then it's much more difficult to# keep allies united on that front.

Another big thing, Amna, is that President Biden# is trying to make this argument alongs Ukrainian president, this pressure campaign on# Congress.

And the two big messages from him are,## Putin won't stop there, won't stop here.

We heard# him say that tonight.

He won't stop at Ukraine,## as well as helping an ally without# having to commit U.S. troops,## helping an ally degrade the military# of one of the biggest adversaries## that is Russia should be a key national# security priority for the United States.

And you heard him say that he would hope# that Republicans would not listen -- would## not align themselves with Russia and the# propaganda that is coming out of Russia.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, Lisa, take# us inside Capitol Hill now.

Republicans were there.

They# personally hea from President Zelenskyy.

Are their# demands on border policy still LI SA DESJARDINS: People should understand# all of the big negotiations we have on the## Hill -- think about the Affordable Care Act.

Think## about the debt ceiling.

That's what's Republicans, no, they are not changing their# position.

They point to the border.

They say## all of those apprehensions, those# border numbers, those encounters,## they feel like they are in the right# here.

They also feel like they have t momentum because President Biden has said# that he is willing t So then you bring all of that down and you# look at what exactly Republicans are asking,## though.

That's where we have got some# issues with Democrats.

Let's look at## three things that they're asking, for example.

First, on asylum, Republicans would# at least, asylum seekers from entering# this country, especially those from South## and Central America.

They would like to# make expedited removal a national program,## meaning that some immigration officers could# challenge almost anyone in this country.

And if they weren't documented,# felt like they were undocumented,## they could expedite removal.

And then also they# would li including humanitarian parole.

Now, some of those# programs, Democrats think could be adjusted,## but they are worried that what Republicans are# proposing here could lead to a national dragnet## that could sweep up people who have legitimate# claims and even have legal status in this country.

So that's where those talks are right now.

AMNA NAWAZ: So, Lisa, where do negotiatio LISA DESJARDINS: All of this, the Ukraine# aid, Israel aid, and the border talks,## are really just hanging on the# edge of a knife right now, Amna.

But, tonight, there is a very slight# reason for hope.

I j a meeting with DHS Secretary Mayorkas# behind closed doors with three senators,## a Republican, Jim Lankford of Oklahoma, and# then independent Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona,## and Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Democrat, as well# as staffers, the White House getting involved.

Kyrsten Sinema walked out of that meeting and told# me that they did make substantiv progress.

We all## have heard that before, but there is hope that# they can do this.

They are running out of time.## No one can get to an airplane more quickly than# a member of Congress before a holiday recess.

Senator Schumer has asked leaders# to stay in town.

But, right now,## I have got to tell you, the entire# House of Representatives is getting## to leave on Thursday.

This next day will be# critical to see AMNA NAWAZ: Laura, what about other# Democrats?

What kind of pressure are## they putting on the White House right now# as the White House get these talks?

And where do the American people# stand on this issue of more aid LA URA BARRON-LOPEZ: Democrats are putting a# lot of pressure on the White House right now.

They're very concerned.

Based on what Lisa just# outlin to the parole systems that Republicans are# proposing, that the White House may concede## on that.

They're hearing that the White House# is open to things like that.

And they don't## want that to happen.

So they're going to be# applying a lot of pressure on the presiden Democrats are going to incoming days be talking# a lot more about this, holding Bu t as for where voters stand Amna, we have a new# "NewsHour"/NPR/Marist poll that will be released## tomorrow.

And we ask voters if they believe# the U.S. should authorize additional funding## to support both Ukraine and Israel.

A total of# 32 percent said yes.

That's 41 percent Democrat 26 percent of Republicans are saying more# support and 32 percent of independents.

And then for those that believe that# the U.S. should not authorize additional## funding for either war, a total of# 36 percent, 24 percent of Democrats,## 39 percent of Republicans, and# 38 percent of independents.

So, in total, our poll found that 48# percent of Americans support giving## additional aid to Ukraine.

But you see# that there's not a lot of support there## among Republicans in particular.

One# thing that is kind of key context there,## Amna, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch# McConnell has said himself that support## among Republicans has gone down because of the# rhetoric from former Preside AMNA NAWAZ: Nick, when you look# at where the war is right now,## a war you spent so much time# covering on the head of the Ukrainian military# is now calling the war a Wh at does that mean for U.S. policy?

NICK SCHIFRIN: Well, publicly, Amna, the# administ and President Biden reiterated# his definition of victory today.

But senior U.S. officials are beginning to# say that, if, if U.S. support what they want to see in 2024 is Ukraine# holding the line, even if, as you say,## that that means a stalemate on the front,# and that, by the end of 2024, U.S., European,## Ukrainian domestic arms production# could come online to the point where,## believe it or not, Ukraine could go# back on the counteroffensive in 2025.

But that assumes, of course, Biden# wins reelection.

It also assumes, Amna,## that in 2025 Ukraine can do more with those# new weapons that it hasn't already done wit $110 billion of aid, and neither Ukrainian# nor U.S. officials have explained that yet.

AMNA NAWAZ: Nick Schifrin at the White# House, Lisa Desjardins on Capitol Hill,## Laura Barron-Lopez here with me# in studio, thank you to you all.