Washington, Dec 21 – The current leader of the Republican minority in the US Lower House, Kevin McCarthy, who is emerging as a possible president of that chamber as of January, warned the Ukrainian president, Volodímir Zelenski, on Wednesday that He is not in favor of giving Ukraine a “blank check”.
His comment came after Zelensky spoke before a joint session of the two houses of the US Congress to thank the support provided so far and stress that maintaining this aid is “vital” to accelerate his country’s victory against Russia.
“I think he has given a very good speech. He presented a series of reasons why the free world wants to continue the fight, but my position has never changed. I support Ukraine but I will not defend a blank check,” he said in statements collected by CNN.
McCarthy, who had already spoken along these lines in the past, reiterated this Wednesday that his party wants to make sure that “every dollar spent is answered.”
Zelensky stressed this Wednesday in Washington that the money that goes to his country “is not charity, but an investment in global security and democracy”, which Ukraine manages “with the greatest responsibility”.
This same Wednesday the United States announced a new military aid package of 1,850 million dollars that for the first time includes the Patriot anti-aircraft defense system, and another of 374 million in humanitarian assistance for the European country.
The budgets for fiscal year 2023, currently being negotiated and due to be finalized this week before current funds expire at midnight on Friday, also call for an additional $45 billion in assistance to Ukraine.