House Republicans set out demands for Biden to continue aid to Ukraine
US House Republican Mike Garcia on Tuesday demanded that the Biden administration spell out a "strategy to win" for Ukraine in order to continue financial and military assistance for the country fighting against Russia’s full-scale invasion.
In an 11-page document, concurred by five other House Republicans, Mr Garcia points out that the White House’s request for Ukraine funding represents a USD 12 billion per month expenditure rate, which is twice as much as before.
"This increase comes during what is best described as a stalemate between Ukrainian and Russian forces on the ground in the eastern region of Donbass and a new war in Israel," he adds.
The Republican demands that Mr Biden and Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin inform Americans about the developments of the war in Ukraine, including the reasons for the stalemate at the front and updates on the Ukrainian offensive, as well as clearly explain the need for further military assistance.
Mr Garcia says the White House needs to provide a list of weapons that can break the stalemate at the front but have not yet been transferred to Ukraine, and explain the risks of the US withdrawing aid to Kyiv.
In addition, the Republican demands that the US treasury report to Congress on the implementation of sanctions against Russia and insists on a full-scale sanctions policy against Russia by the US and NATO, including a complete ban on all Russian oil, grain, and rare minerals.
He also inquired whether the interests of the United States and Ukraine regarding the Russian-annexed Crimea coincide.
The Republicans for Ukraine initiative, which promotes support for Ukraine among GOP voters, gave Mike Garcia a D (poor) rating. He supported the lend-lease act and additional military aid to Ukraine last year, but made some anti-Ukraine statements.
