‘Well Done, Republicans’: Russians Already Celebrating Failure of Further Ukraine Aid
Democrats say Ukraine aid should be separate from US border security
Republicans already are doing the bidding of Russian leader Vladimir Putin, by failing to approve further US assistance to Ukraine, according to President Biden.
Congressional Democrats are already speaking out about why they couldn't reach a deal with their Republican counterparts over draconian policy shifts at the US southern border which the right’s insisted on to approve additional help for Ukraine to continue to battle Putin's nearly two-year-old invasion.
Although the Biden administration and Congress have directed more than $75 billion in assistance to Ukraine — including humanitarian, financial, and military support — since Putin began his invasion, that aid will dry up without additional congressional action.
With hopes fading about being able to lock in a deal by the time the House and Senate skip town for its scheduled Christmas recess at the end of the week, Biden noted that Russian media already is celebrating.
“Russian loyalists in Moscow celebrated when Republicans voted to block Ukraine’s aid last week. The host of a Kremlin-run show literally said, and I quote, ‘Well done, Republicans That’s good for us,’ end quote,” Biden said Tuesday at a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky who was in Washington making the case for further aid to his devastated nation. “Let me say that again: the host of a Kremlin-run show said ‘Well done, Republicans. That’s good for us.’ That’s a Russian speaking.
“If you’re being celebrated by Russian propagandists, it might be time to rethink what you’re doing. History will judge harshly those who turn their back on freedom’s cause,” Biden added.
Pleas by Zelensky and others won't move Republicans, according to Sen James Lankford (R-Okla), who has been helping lead negotiations on the issue.
“No, no. Again, we have a responsibility to the United States of America. That would mean me going back to my state and saying, ‘I care about people in other countries, but I don't care about what’s happening in my own country,’” Lankford said. “It's important that we actually do two things at once here. We have to actually pay attention to our own needs while we’re also dealing with the needs around the world, as well. (...) There’s no way to get it done this week. There is no way to be able to get it done this week.”
Sen Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Lankford’s Democratic counterpart in the aid talks, disagreed.
“Yeah, I think we should separate the two. I don’t think that Vladimir Putin should be given a green light to invade and conquer Ukraine and Europe simply because for 40 years we've had a tough time coming to a conclusion on immigration policy,” Murphy said during an interview with CNN’s Poppy Harlow. “But listen, Poppy, we’re going to work at this. I’m at the table. I hear what Republicans have been saying. We’re going to try to come to a conclusion. And I’m sitting down with Senator Lankford and others in good faith this week.”
Sen Mark Kelly (D-Ariz) agreed with Murphy in a separate interview.
“Hey, nobody argues that the border is not in a crisis situation. You know, I've been dealing this for three years. We have provided more support for Border Patrol. We need to do more. The president's supplemental had funding in there for Border Patrol agents, asylum officers, judges. These are the things we agree on,” he said. “We're talking about Ukraine aid, Israel humanitarian assistance, funding for INDOPACOM with a future issue with China, let me leave it at -- at -- at that. For this to be caught up in the politics of the border would be a mistake.”
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