Funding for Ukraine for its war against Russia has always been a hot topic among conservatives and Republicans.
The issue has never been about supporting Ukraine but rather about accountability.
After it was reported that a $90 billion military aid package was discussed with Ukraine this week, the White House has had no choice but to respond.
The corruption in Ukraine when it comes to military aid is undeniable.
President Volodymyr Zelensky fired multiple officials very early on in this war when it was found that they were stealing aid for personal profit.
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), during the conflict's early days, explained the GOP’s resistance to funding, stating, "I think the majorities on both sides of the aisle support this effort.”
He continued, "I think everybody has a voice in Congress. And the fact is, we are going to provide more oversight, transparency and accountability. We're not going to write a blank check."
After meeting with Donald Trump and other administration officials, Zelensky announced that numerous security guarantees were being promised to Ukraine.
Among the issues discussed were a $90 billion weapons package, which was allegedly going to be purchased by European countries from the U.S. and given to Ukraine to continue to fight the war.
He further stated that the United States would be purchasing Ukraine-made drones to help that country's financial picture.
To this point, the United States, by far, has been the largest supporter of Ukraine in this war, so I question whether the EU will be purchasing that package or if the U.S. will just give it to them after receiving guarantees of payment by the EU. Either way, the claim got everyone’s ears up on the right.
Going back to McCaul’s comments, Americans are tired of funding wars in which it is clear that most of the money and aid are not going to their intended sources (we have also seen huge amounts of Gaza aid being stolen).
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt addressed this very issue, stating, "He made it very clear that we're not going to continue writing blank checks to fund a war very far away, which is why he came up with a very creative solution to have NATO purchase American weaponry, because it is the best in the world, and then to backfill the needs of the Ukrainian army and the Ukrainian people in their military.”
She continued, "So that's the solution the president has come up with. We'll continue to see that forward. As for any additional sales, I'll have to refer you to the Department of Defense."
I have no problem selling more arms, as long as the EU is paying full freight. It’s about time these other NATO countries kick in to pay their fair share of this defense effort. Regardless, we need to make sure every penny sent of our taxpayer dollars is accounted for, but I have yet to see anyone address that issue.
