Sen. McConnell Breaks From House GOP, Pledges More Weapons to Ukraine (Newsmax)
By Jay Clemons | Friday, 21 October 2022 02:13 PM EDT
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called on the Biden administration to expedite military aid to Ukraine Friday, while also pledging that Senate Republicans would guarantee "timely delivery" of more weapons for the Ukrainian troops, as their war with Russia spills into a ninth month.
In his Friday statement, McConnell applauded Congress for approving billions of dollars' worth of aid to Ukraine, and said a Republican majority in the Senate for 2023 "would focus its oversight on ensuring timely delivery of needed weapons and greater allied assistance to Ukraine."
McConnell's Ukraine vision among Senate Republicans might not match that of House Republicans.
Earlier in the day, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., reportedly suggested a Republican-controlled House chamber — presuming the GOP claims the majority in the upcoming midterm elections on Nov. 8 — might impede aid to Ukraine, citing a refocused effort on prioritizing at-home issues, such as the uneven economy and the situation at the United States-Mexico border.
According to Politico, McConnell has often scoffed at Republicans being labeled "isolationists."
In a recent interview with Punchbowl News, McCarthy said the U.S. shouldn't be sending a "blank check" to Ukraine while major issues in America — such as the economy, inflation, immigration, and the fentanyl crisis — are receiving secondary attention.
This wouldn't be the first time McConnell has butted heads with other Republican leaders.
As Newsmax chronicled in August, former President Donald Trump demanded that GOP senators replace McConnell as leader "immediately," using the subjective rationale of McConnell believing he'd be in a stronger position of power — if Republicans failed to take over the Senate next month.
"[McConnell] was afraid to use the 'debt ceiling card' in order to stop the most expensive waste of money in our country's history, to be spent on the Green New Deal, which will only cause one thing, a Depression," said Trump, via the Truth Social app. "These expenditures are something our country can never recover from.
Trump added: "Mitch McConnell is not an opposition leader. He is a pawn for the Democrats to get whatever they want. He is afraid of them, and will not do what has to be done. A new Republican Leader in the Senate should be picked immediately!"
Last week, the Biden administration promised another $725 million in military/financial aid to Ukraine.
Also around that time, NATO leaders from the United States, Europe, and other regions pledged more weapons and air defense systems to the Ukrainian government.
According to ABC News estimates, the U.S. alone has committed more than $17.5 billion in military/financial aid to Ukraine, dating back to when Russia launched a full-scale invasion on Feb. 24.