McCarthy signals Republican weariness over aid to Ukraine

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has suggested the days of Ukraine aid could come to an end should Republicans regain the lower chamber in the upcoming midterm elections, political newsletter Punchbowl News reports Tuesday.

Though previous funding for the beseiged country has cleared Congress with large bipartisan majorities and relative ease, "that consensus may be fraying," Punchbowl writes.

"I think people are gonna be sitting in a recession and they're not going to write a blank check to Ukraine. They just won't do it. … It's not a free blank check," McCarthy recently told the newsletter. "And then there's the things [the Biden administration] is not doing domestically. Not doing the border and people begin to weigh that. Ukraine is important, but at the same time it can't be the only thing they do and it can't be a blank check."

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As noted by Punchbowl, such comments could push President Biden "to push for a full year of Ukraine aid during the lame duck" — the period between Election Day and the start of the new congressional term — "should Republicans win control of either chamber on Election Day."

So far, the U.S. has approved over $60 billion in support for Ukraine, "with more than $18.2 billion in security assistance given since January 2021," adds The Washington Post. Other Republicans, including those running for office in November have criticized the amount of money the U.S. has contributed to the war.