WASHINGTON: Former US President Donald Trump’s secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, added his voice on Monday to growing calls from prominent Republicans to pass billions of dollars in aid for Ukraine, after some party members accused aid opponents of succumbing to Russian propaganda.
Democratic President Joe Biden’s request for $95 billion for Ukraine, Israel and other allies passed the US Senate with 70 percent support but has been stalled for weeks in the House of Representatives as Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to allow a vote.
As lawmakers returned to Washington from a two-week break on Monday, Johnson gave no word of any plans for a vote on Biden’s supplemental request.
Pompeo, a former House member, issued a public letter on Monday urging Johnson to bring up the bill in the House.
“We encourage you to lead with conviction and bring the aid package to a vote,” Pompeo said in a letter written with John Walter, president of the Hudson Institute, where Pompeo is a fellow.
Johnson’s office did not comment on the letter, or recent assertions by the Republican chairpersons of two House national security committees that “Russian propaganda” is influencing party members.
Representative Michael McCaul, who leads the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Puck News last week: “Russian propaganda has made its way into the United States, unfortunately, and it’s infected a good chunk of my party’s base.”
And on Sunday, Representative Mike Turner, who heads the House Intelligence Committee, told CNN’s “State of the Union” McCaul’s contention was “absolutely true.”
Turner said: “We see directly coming from Russia attempts to mask communications that are anti-Ukraine and pro-Russia messages, some of which we even hear being uttered on the House floor.”
For example, Turner said some members of Congress “incorrectly” say that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is over NATO.
“To the extent that this propaganda takes hold, it makes it more difficult for us to really see this as an authoritarian versus democracy battle,” Turner said.
US Republicans urge Ukraine aid vote, after ‘Russian propaganda’ warnings
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US Republicans urge Ukraine aid vote, after ‘Russian propaganda’ warnings
- Pompeo, a former House member, issued a public letter on Monday urging Johnson to bring up the bill in the House
Changes to US security strategy ‘largely consistent’ with Russia’s vision: Kremlin
- Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the current US administration was “fundamentally different from the previous ones”
MOSCOW: Russia has welcomed changes in the US National Security Strategy, saying the adjustments that marked a radical departure from Washington’s previous policy were “largely consistent” with Moscow’s vision.
Washington’s new National Security Strategy, published early Friday, took aim at allies in Europe, calling it over-regulated, lacking in “self-confidence” and facing “civilizational erasure” due to immigration.
The document stated that the United States would also prevent other powers from dominating but added: “This does not mean wasting blood and treasure to curtail the influence of all the world’s great and middle powers.”
Commenting on the new US strategy, the Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the current US administration was “fundamentally different from the previous ones.”
“The adjustments we’re seeing, I would say, are largely consistent with our vision,” Peskov said in an interview with state TV station Rossiya aired Sunday.
“President Trump is currently strong in terms of domestic political positions. And this gives him the opportunity to adjust the concept to suit his vision,” Peskov added.
The publication of the updated security strategy came as officials from Kyiv held talks in Florida with Trump’s envoys on the US-drafted plan to end the near four-year war in Ukraine.
Three days of talks produced no apparent breakthrough.
President Volodymyr Zelensky committed to further negotiations toward “real peace,” as Russia in the early hours of Saturday launched another series of drone and missile strikes at Ukraine.
Zelensky is due to meet with European leaders — French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz — in London on Monday to take stock of the negotiations.
