Report: McConnell to Appear with Ukrainian Ambassador in ‘All Out’ Push for $61.4 Billion Taxpayer AidKristina Wong 30 Oct 2023
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is reportedly planning to appear with Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S. at a Monday event in Kentucky as part of his push to reportedly go “all out” on securing $61.4 billion of American taxpayer aid for Ukraine.
Politico’s Burgess Everett reported that McConnell will appear with Ambassador Oksana Markarova at the University of Louisville to “again publicly commit the United States to Kyiv’s defense against Russia,” as part of his push.
McConnell’s support for Ukraine pits him against some in his own caucus, as well as House Republicans who are refusing to send another cent to Ukraine after the $113 billion the U.S. has already committed since February 2022.
The $61.4 billion for Ukraine would be part of a larger package requested by the Biden administration for $105 billion. Of that, $14.3 billion would go to Israel, $13.6 billion to the U.S.’s southern border, $9.15 billion for humanitarian aid for Palestinian, Israeli, and Ukrainian civilians, and $7.4 billion for Taiwan and Asian allies.
New Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) reportedly wants to separate funding for Israel and Ukraine, versus tying it together into one package, and could pass an Israel-only funding bill and send it to the Senate, forcing its hand and splitting Senate Republicans who also oppose tying the two together.
According to Politico, McConnell could be in his last term as Senate GOP leader, and Ukraine funding as a “huge part of his legacy.”
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https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/10/30/report-mcconnell-appear-ukrainian-ambassador-push-61-4-billion-aid/
