WASHINGTON — Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., was among more than a dozen Republicans who opposed the $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. They complained the legislation would not improve security at the Southern U.S. border.
Some, including Johnson, questioned the wisdom of the U.S. trying to help Ukraine. Johnson said he has sympathy for Ukrainians, but more aid won’t help them defeat the Russians who invaded their country.
“U.S. policy ought to recognize the fact that what they’ve been trying to do hasn’t worked. It’s not going to work,” Johnson said.
Johnson said only a negotiated settlement between Russia and Ukraine can end the war. He cited Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recent interview with TV personality Tucker Carlson. Putin claimed Russia’s attack on Ukraine was necessary to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO.
“They believe in their motherland. They’re not going to lose this war. So recognize that reality, and act accordingly,” Johnson said.
An advisor to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Igor Zhovkva, said the Republicans who say Ukraine can’t win are not on the moral side of this issue.
“You will be on the side of those who are still killing my nation, who are still producing missiles and armor and battle tanks, in order to kill Ukrainians day by day, night by night,” Zhovkva said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said the Senate bill is dead-on-arrival in his chamber because it doesn’t improve border security. But Republicans killed a bipartisan compromise on border security, which is why the Senate moved forward with a standalone foreign aid package.
Sen. Johnson said he’d like to revisit parts of the border bill, such as making it harder for migrants to obtain asylum, but that sending more aid to Ukraine must be contingent on a decrease of illegal crossings at the southern border. He proposed an amendment to give Ukraine $5 billion a month, if there are 16,000 fewer migrant crossings, but it didn’t go anywhere.
Supporters of the Ukraine aid say such assistance is in America’s best interest and a matter of national security. And John Kirby, a National Security Council spokesman, said failure to provide the help would be bad for the U.S. internationally.
“I think it sends a strong signal to the whole world that perhaps certain members of Congress aren’t willing to show and demonstrate the kind of American leadership on the world stage that President Biden has,” Kirby said.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., voted in favor of the foreign aid bill, saying in a statement that Congress has a responsibility to support its allies abroad and the billions of dollars will help Ukraine defend itself.