Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) urged fellow Republican senators not to “politicize” the $40 billion aid package for Ukraine on Sunday, days after Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) singlehandedly blocked its quick passage in the Senate.
According to the Hill, during a press call held in Stockholm following him meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, McConnell called on the Senate to pass the $40 billion aid package designed to help Ukraine fend off Russia’s invasion and urged President Joe Biden to designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism.
“The question always is, how does it end?” McConnell said, per the Hill. “And my view remains that that’s a decision for the Ukrainians to make. My definition of victory is whatever Zelensky and the Ukrainians conclude is a satisfactory end.”
He added that he believes the aid package will pass the Senate, but called on members of the Republican party to avoid politicizing the legislation. It passed the House last week 368-57.
“I think it’s important for the United States to help, important for the free world to help, important for the Ukrainians to win, and hopefully not many members of my party will choose to politicize this issue,” he said of the 57 House Republicans who voted against the package.
Paul, McConnell’s Senate counterpart from Kentucky, singlehandedly blocked the quick passage of the package on Thursday by blocking the unanimous consent agreement needed to proceed, arguing that an inspector general should review the spending.
“No matter how sympathetic the cause, my oath of office is to the national security of the United States of America,” Paul said of his decision. “We cannot save Ukraine by dooming the U.S. economy.”
Paul’s move stood in direct contrast to McConnell, who said last week that Ukrainians are “only asking for the resources they need to defend themselves against this deranged invasion — and they need this help right now.”
The Senate vote on the package is set for next week.
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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) urged fellow Republican senators not to “politicize” the $40 billion aid package for Ukraine on Sunday, days after Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) singlehandedly blocked its quick passage in the Senate.
According to the Hill, during a press call held in Stockholm following him meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, McConnell called on the Senate to pass the $40 billion aid package designed to help Ukraine fend off Russia’s invasion and urged President Joe Biden to designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism.
“The question always is, how does it end?” McConnell said, per the Hill. “And my view remains that that’s a decision for the Ukrainians to make. My definition of victory is whatever Zelensky and the Ukrainians conclude is a satisfactory end.”
He added that he believes the aid package will pass the Senate, but called on members of the Republican party to avoid politicizing the legislation. It passed the House last week 368-57.
“I think it’s important for the United States to help, important for the free world to help, important for the Ukrainians to win, and hopefully not many members of my party will choose to politicize this issue,” he said of the 57 House Republicans who voted against the package.
Paul, McConnell’s Senate counterpart from Kentucky, singlehandedly blocked the quick passage of the package on Thursday by blocking the unanimous consent agreement needed to proceed, arguing that an inspector general should review the spending.
“No matter how sympathetic the cause, my oath of office is to the national security of the United States of America,” Paul said of his decision. “We cannot save Ukraine by dooming the U.S. economy.”
Paul’s move stood in direct contrast to McConnell, who said last week that Ukrainians are “only asking for the resources they need to defend themselves against this deranged invasion — and they need this help right now.”
The Senate vote on the package is set for next week.
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