Liberal U.S. lawmakers withdraw Ukraine letter after blowback - Reuters

WASHINGTON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - A radical of wide U.S. Democrats withdrew a missive to the White House urging a negotiated colony to the warfare successful Ukraine, the group's chairperson, Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal, said connected Tuesday, aft blowback from wrong their ain party.

“The Congressional Progressive Caucus hereby withdraws its caller missive to the White House regarding Ukraine," Jayapal said successful a statement. She added: "The missive was drafted respective months ago, but unluckily was released by unit without vetting." work much

The letter signed by 30 caucus members became nationalist on Monday, leaving immoderate different Democrats feeling blindsided conscionable 2 weeks earlier Nov. 8 mid-term elections that volition find which governmental enactment controls Congress. And it appeared conscionable arsenic Republicans look concerns that their enactment mightiness chopped backmost subject and humanitarian assistance that has helped Ukraine since Russia invaded successful February.

Several members of the Progressive Caucus issued statements expressing enactment for Ukraine, noting that they had joined different Democrats successful voting for billions of dollars successful assistance for Ukraine.

Some said they had signed the missive months earlier and that things had changed. "Timing successful diplomacy is everything. I signed this missive connected June 30, but a batch has changed since then. I wouldn't motion it today," Representative Sara Jacobs said connected Twitter.

Representative Jamie Raskin, who besides signed, said successful a connection helium was gladsome to larn it had been withdrawn and noted "its unfortunate timing and different flaws."

Ukraine's troops person been waging a palmy counteroffensive, with forces advancing into Russian-occupied Kherson state and threatening a large decision for Moscow.

'BLANK CHECK'

The missive drew contiguous pushback, including from wrong the Progressive Caucus. "Russia doesn't admit diplomacy, lone strength. If we privation Ukraine to proceed arsenic a escaped and antiauthoritarian state that it is, we indispensable enactment their fight," Democratic Representative Ruben Gallego, a caucus member, said successful a written comment.

Representative Kevin McCarthy, the apical House Republican, told Punchbowl News successful an interrogation this period that determination would beryllium nary "blank check" for Ukraine if Republicans instrumentality over. That fed speculation that Republicans mightiness halt assistance to Kyiv, though galore members of the enactment said that was not their intention.

In her connection withdrawing the letter, Jayapal said that, due to the fact that of the timing, the missive was being conflated arsenic being equivalent to McCarthy's remark.

"Nothing could beryllium further from the truth. Every warfare ends with diplomacy, and this 1 volition excessively aft Ukrainian victory. The missive sent yesterday, though restating that basal principle, has been conflated with GOP absorption to enactment for the Ukrainians’ conscionable defence of their nationalist sovereignty. As such, it is simply a distraction astatine this clip and we retreat the letter," Jayapal's connection said.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price said some Democrats and Republicans enactment continued assistance for Ukraine and helium did not deliberation the missive would enactment U.S. enactment into question.

"In caller days, we've heard from Democrats, we've heard from Republicans, that they recognize the request to proceed to basal with Ukraine, to basal for the principles that are astatine play here," helium told a quality briefing.

Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Additional reporting by Richard Cowan and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Cynthia Osterman

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