McCarthy: No 'blank check' for Ukraine if GOP wins majority - The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — House GOP person Kevin McCarthy warned Tuesday that Republicans volition not constitute a “blank check” for Ukraine if they triumph backmost the House majority, reflecting his party’s increasing skepticism astir fiscal enactment for Kyiv arsenic it battles Russia’s invasion.

“I deliberation radical are gonna beryllium sitting successful a recession and they’re not going to constitute a blank cheque to Ukraine,” McCarthy told Punchbowl News. “They conscionable won’t bash it. … It’s not a escaped blank check.”

The comments from McCarthy, who is successful enactment to go talker if Republicans triumph the House, raised caller questions astir the resiliency of America’s enactment for Ukraine arsenic a increasing fig of Republicans, peculiarly those aligned with Donald Trump’s “America First” approach, question the request for national spending overseas astatine a clip of record-high ostentation astatine home.

Since Russia launched its penetration successful February, Congress has approved tens of billions successful exigency information and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine, portion the Biden medication has shipped billions worthy of weapons and instrumentality from subject inventories.

White House property caput Karine Jean-Pierre sidestepped Tuesday day erstwhile asked astir McCarthy’s comments. She alternatively thanked legislature leaders for bipartisan enactment to “support Ukraine to support itself from Russia’s warfare crimes and atrocities.”

“We volition proceed to enactment with Congress and proceed to show those conversations connected these efforts and enactment Ukraine arsenic agelong arsenic it takes,” she said. “We are going to support that committedness that we’re making to the brave Ukrainians who are warring each day, to combat for their state and their democracy.”

In private, GOP lawmakers who enactment assistance to Ukraine accidental determination could beryllium an accidental to walk 1 much tranche successful an end-of-year spending package, earlier Republicans perchance instrumentality power successful the adjacent Congress.

Last month, lawmakers approved astir $12.3 cardinal successful Ukraine-related assistance arsenic portion of a measure that finances the national authorities done Dec. 16. The wealth included assistance for the Ukrainian subject arsenic good arsenic wealth to assistance the country’s authorities supply basal services to its citizens.

That comes connected apical of much than $50 cardinal provided successful 2 erstwhile bills.

Financial enactment for Ukraine garnered beardown bipartisan enactment successful the Senate and the House aft Russia’s penetration successful the spring. In the Senate, GOP person Mitch McConnell and Richard Shelby, the pb Republican connected the Senate Appropriations Committee, were aboriginal and accordant voices for Ukraine aid. But blimpish absorption was contiguous from the start. Republicans accounted for the lone votes against a $40 cardinal assistance bundle successful the spring.

Nearly 60 House members and 11 senators opposed the legislation, citing the request for much oversight of however the wealth is spent and what weapons and instrumentality the U.S. is sending overseas.

Rep. Michael McCaul, the ranking subordinate connected the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said helium volition beryllium starring that effort to supply much oversight of however the Ukraine wealth is spent if the GOP does triumph the bulk adjacent month.

“I bash deliberation you person wide bipartisan enactment for what’s happening successful Ukraine, but I deliberation you’ll see, if we get the majority, much oversight and accountability successful presumption of the backing and wherever the money’s going, and I deliberation the American taxpayers merit that,” the Texas Republican told Bloomberg Business connected Tuesday.

International allies are besides watching the statement connected Capitol Hill closely. Estonian Ambassador to the U.S. Kristjan Prikk said he’d received assurances from members of some parties that determination is “strong halfway support” for Ukraine assistance to continue, nary substance which enactment wins the election.

“Certainly some parties person members who person doubted if the assistance is proportional, whether it’s been necessary, but they did not represent the bulk oregon core,” Prikk said Tuesday. “I bash not spot this changing.”

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Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim and Tara Copp contributed to this report.