McConnell’s Warning Ignored as Ukraine Aid Fails in Congress
The collapse of Ukraine aid in Congress was months in the making, and it was exactly what Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell had feared. Despite overwhelming bipartisan support in Washington for stopping Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion, the failure to approve Ukraine aid was a significant setback for the Biden administration.
McConnell had repeatedly warned that political support for Ukraine was in danger as a small but vocal contingent of fellow Republican lawmakers intensified their efforts against sending U.S. money overseas for the fight against Russia. He had put a priority on U.S. support for Ukraine and tried to steer the hard-right flank of his party, but his warnings went unheeded.
First, McConnell delivered a series of high-profile speeches this summer, emphasizing the importance of supporting Ukraine. Then, he made direct overtures to the White House, urging them to prioritize Ukraine aid. However, neither McConnell nor the White House nor Democrats in Congress could garner enough support to pass a scaled-back $6 billion military and civilian aid package for Ukraine in last week’s deal to avoid a U.S. government shutdown.
This failure highlights the challenges faced in Washington as a minority faction of Republican lawmakers, many aligned with potential 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump, exert their influence to oppose the will of the majority. It is a worrisome development for President Joe Biden, who acknowledged the concerns but remains hopeful that a majority of House and Senate members from both parties support funding Ukraine.
In response to the collapse of Ukraine aid, President Biden is preparing to deliver a major speech on U.S. support for Ukraine and is working on a plan to ensure the continuity of assistance. The upheaval on Capitol Hill, including the ousting of Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, has necessitated a regrouping and has sparked political blame over the inability to work around the minority of lawmakers jeopardizing aid.
One lawmaker, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a prominent Trump ally, argued that no more funding should be spent on Ukraine and instead advocated for securing the U.S. border with Mexico.
Mitch McConnell had been diligently trying to build support for Ukraine aid since his visit to Kyiv in May, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Despite his efforts, McConnell knew that the White House’s request for $24 billion in Ukraine aid would not have the necessary backing to pass Congress. He had discussions with a group of Republican defense hawks who indicated that overall support for Ukraine funding would be lacking.
As the deadline to fund the government and avoid a shutdown loomed, McConnell spoke with Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, expressing that it would be impossible to pass the full $24 billion request. Instead, McConnell suggested exploring alternative methods for providing Ukraine aid in the short term.
Following further discussions between the White House and McConnell’s team, smaller amounts of funding were considered, with both sides recognizing the importance of Ukraine aid. Eventually, the Senate advanced a package to keep the government open until November 17, including $6 billion for Ukraine, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.
However, in the Republican-led House, Speaker Kevin McCarthy faced challenges from hardliners within his own party. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and her allies compelled McCarthy to remove $300 million in Ukraine security assistance funds from an annual defense funding bill. This demonstrated the growing influence of the Republican minority within the party.
To avert a government shutdown, McCarthy ultimately removed the $6 billion Ukraine aid from the federal funding package before the House vote. McConnell, who had been advocating for Ukraine aid, convened a lunch meeting with Republican senators, but the majority did not support retaining Ukraine aid in the final package. They instead decided to move forward with the House version, devoid of Ukraine funding, to avoid a shutdown.
Consequently, the final bill approved by the House excluded not only the $6 billion in Ukraine assistance but also provisions for transferring funds to Ukraine. This outcome directly contradicted McConnell’s efforts.
In the aftermath, the White House clarified that McCarthy had made commitments regarding Ukraine aid beyond what was included in the package. However, McCarthy denied any secret deal with Biden regarding Ukraine but assured that the ability to transfer funds for Ukraine would remain intact.
Moving forward, President Biden plans to deliver a speech on Ukraine aid, but the timing is dependent on the election of a new House Speaker. The White House is working with Congress to ensure fund transferability and provide additional support for Ukraine.
The failure to pass Ukraine aid in Congress underscores the challenges posed by a minority faction of lawmakers who are exerting influence over the majority. President Biden’s speech and ongoing efforts to secure assistance demonstrate the administration’s commitment to supporting Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
