Staff Reports
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has made it clear that he has no intention of giving Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a platform to address Congress. And honestly, why should he? Zelenskyy may be visiting Washington, D.C., but that doesn’t mean he should automatically get a chance to speak to America’s lawmakers.
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After all, Zelenskyy isn’t a member of Congress, and he certainly isn’t the President of the United States. McCarthy hit the nail on the head when he questioned whether he had any obligation to offer Zelenskyy such an opportunity. He even pointed out that he has questions for the Ukrainian president – and so do many Republicans.
Let’s not forget that just last year, when Nancy Pelosi was Speaker of the House, she gave Zelenskyy the chance to speak before a joint session. But times have changed. The Democrats no longer control the House, and there has been a lot of criticism from conservatives about the billions of dollars America has already spent on Ukraine.
We’re talking about over $100 billion here! That’s a whopping amount of money that the American people have contributed to keep Ukraine afloat in the face of Russian aggression. And now Zelenskyy wants another $24 billion? Where’s the accountability? Where’s the plan for victory?
It’s no wonder that McCarthy and other Republicans are skeptical. They want to know what we’re getting in return for all the taxpayer dollars already spent. They want to see a clear strategy to secure Ukraine’s future. And I can’t blame them.
But Zelenskyy isn’t giving up that easily. He’s planning to meet privately with McCarthy and his allies to try and win them over. And let’s not forget the meeting with the Senate, where Republican support for increased funding is stronger. Senator Lindsay Graham has already made it clear that he believes Ukraine’s security is directly tied to America’s national security interests.
But here’s the thing – President Biden has also been making headlines, urging the international community to stand behind Ukraine. Zelenskyy may have recently replaced some of his top military commanders as he reassesses the situation, but that doesn’t mean he automatically deserves more of America’s hard-earned money.
So, let’s hold the line, Republicans. Let’s demand accountability, a plan for victory, and assurances that our investments in Ukraine are actually serving our national security interests. Zelenskyy may be in Washington, but he has a lot of convincing to do before he gets any more of our taxpayer dollars.
