In this photo provided by Ukraine’s Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., pose for a photo in Kyiv on Saturday.
Press Office of the President of Ukraine / AP
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Press Office of the President of Ukraine / AP
In this photo provided by Ukraine’s Presidential Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., pose for a photo in Kyiv on Saturday.
Press Office of the President of Ukraine / AP
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who leads a delegation of Senate Republicans meet Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Saturday said he expected the Senate to pass a $40 billion aid package for Ukraine on Wednesday.
McConnell said he supported adding Russia to the list of state sponsors of terrorism and would back down from holding a vote on the issue, but urged President Biden to do it himself.
Speaking from Stockholm, McConnell also said he supported Finland and Sweden joining NATO: “I think the United States should be the first to ratify the treaty for both of these countries to join.”
McConnell pushed back on those in his party who were arguing that the United States should not spend billions of dong to send weapons and support security to Ukraine.
McConnell said aid to Ukraine was “in the interest of the United States.” He added, “This is not some document. This is to stop a ruthless thug from starting his march through Europe, and the first place to stop him is in Ukraine, and that’s what it is. We are determined to do it.”
He also responded to some GOP figures who have criticized the current US role in Ukraine. “There’s always been isolationist voices in the Republican Party, and there have been since before World War II, and that’s totally fine,” McConnell said. “This is a worthy debate. It’s an important topic. And I think one of the lessons we learned from World War II is not to stand up to aggression prematurely. It’s a big mistake.”
Regarding the right-wingers saying the US should focus its resources on the southern border, it’s not “either/or a proposition,” McConnell said.
When asked about the Kentucky GOP Senator Rand Paul voted in favor last week, McConnell said, “It’s no secret Rand and I have different world views.” “We’ll get the job done by Wednesday,” he added.
McConnell said there’s no way of knowing how long the $40 billion package will last, but said he expects it to provide support for a “significant amount of time.” The Biden Administration first introduced version of the aid packageinitially smaller, running through the end of the current fiscal year ending September 30.
The Kentucky Republican has said he plans to provide President Biden with a summary of his trip when he returns to the US.
In an interview with NPR On Thursday, McConnell said he thought the administration’s handling of Ukraine had improved after actually calling it too “expected,” while showing he remained in close contact with Biden.
The GOP leader said he asked the White House to accept the separation of Ukraine aid from more controversial aid for the COVID-19 response, and when he reached out to the White House, McConnell said Biden “called me back in 15 years” minute.”
“So we’re all on the same team on this,” McConnell also told NPR. “The Russians need to lose. The Ukrainians need to win.”
