On Monday, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy expressed a growing commitment to aiding Ukraine, sharply flipping on his hardline midterm talking point of “no blank checks” for the embroiled nation.
“I vote for aid for Ukraine. I support aid for Ukraine,” he told a Russian reporter.
“I do not support what your country has done to Ukraine. I do not support your killing of the children either. And I think for one, you should pull out…and I don’t think it’s right.”
WATCH:
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy harshly responded to a journalist from the Kremlin propaganda dump RIA.
The journalist said he knew McCarthy did not support "unlimited and uncontrolled supplies of weaponry and aid to Ukraine," and asked if U.S. policy… pic.twitter.com/uBlecil2v1
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) May 1, 2023
In March, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky invited McCarthy to visit Ukraine to see the situation on the ground, but McCarthy declined the invitation, citing that he did not need to visit Ukraine to understand the need for further aid.
However, his decision does not necessarily reflect a lack of support for Ukraine, especially now, as he has been vocal in supporting aid for the country. The US has provided support through various means, and the commitment to Ukraine’s defense against Russian aggression seems to have remained a priority.
However, there has been a divide within the Republican Party regarding providing additional assistance to Ukraine, with some advocating for an end to further military and financial aid.
Last week, the US announced a security assistance package for Ukraine worth $325 million, which includes ammunition for the HIMARS and anti-armor systems. The package is part of the US and its allies’ efforts to support Ukraine in defending itself against Russia, with the US having already provided over $50 billion in security assistance.