Scoop: Freedom Caucus chair floats potential Ukraine peace talks probe - Axios

Scott Perry. Photo: Dylan Hollingsworth/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), the seat of the right-wing Freedom Caucus, floated to colleagues the thought of laying the groundwork for an probe into the Biden administration's attack to Russia-Ukraine bid talks, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: Republican disapproval of President Biden's attack to the struggle has splintered arsenic the struggle has dragged on. While constitution GOP senators person urged Biden to velocity up and diversify limb income to Ukraine, MAGA-aligned Republicans person demanded Kyiv participate negotiations to avert the hazard of atomic escalation.

• Perry's comments reflector the concerns of isolationists — connected some the close and the left — who accidental the Western tendency for an outright Ukrainian triumph could provoke a cornered Russian President Vladimir Putin to instrumentality drastic action, including a atomic strike.
• Ukrainians — and Biden — antagonistic that Russia tin extremity the warfare astatine immoderate clip by withdrawing its forces and that lone the Ukrainian radical person the close to find the destiny of their country.

Driving the news: In a substance precocious past period to chap Republican members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, screenshots of which were obtained by Axios, Perry asked whether they had sent a records preservation petition to the administration — the archetypal measurement toward an investigation.

• "Have we requested immoderate Administration conversations with [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelensky this outpouring that included the proposition of an extremity to Russian concern successful speech for Ukraine not joining NATO?" helium wrote.
• Perry said helium is "completely opposed to Russian actions regarding Ukraine," but is "not successful favour of warfare with Russia."
• "If these nitwits successful this jackwagon Administration are blundering america oregon intentionally marching america to warfare with Russia, atomic oregon otherwise, we'd amended commencement to sphere the grounds truthful determination tin beryllium accountability."

Context: Early negotiations betwixt Ukraine and Russia, which included proposals for Kyiv to formally abandon its NATO aspirations, collapsed arsenic Vladimir Putin escalated his brutal battle connected civilians.

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The large picture: Republicans are readying a vast array of investigations into the administration, including into Hunter Biden's concern dealings successful Ukraine and elsewhere, arsenic good arsenic the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan past year.

• Perry's texts people a uncommon lawsuit of a projected probe into the administration's effect to the warfare successful Ukraine, which has mostly received the enactment of Congress successful the signifier of assistance packages.
• Spokespeople for Perry and the White House did not respond to requests for comment.