Top GOP member on House Intel calls for more Ukraine support
The new top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee called Wednesday on President Joe Biden’s administration to ramp up military and intelligence support for Ukraine.
“I believe that the administration should be actively arming Ukraine so it can defend itself,” Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio said in an interview. “They want to defend themselves. They should be given every opportunity to do so.”
Washington has committed more than $2 billion in military aid to Ukraine since 2014, when Russia seized Crimea and backed an insurgency in the eastern region known as Donbas. In December, Congress increased security assistance to Ukraine to $300 million for 2022, with at least $75 million specifically designated for weapons.
Russia now has troops massed near Ukraine, raising fears in the West that it is preparing a new invasion as it pushes its demand that Ukraine never be allowed to join NATO. The Biden administration has rejected Russia’s demand and is expected to provide additional military aid to Ukraine in the coming weeks.
Republicans and some Democrats have pushed Biden to move more quickly to provide Ukraine with lethal aid. Some lawmakers also want the U.S. to impose sanctions on Russia before any potential invasion.
U.S. and Russian diplomats are holding several meetings this week in Europe aimed at resolving the crisis.
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