Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., talks to Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., prior to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy delivering a virtual address to Congress by video at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, March 16, 2022. (Sarah Silbiger, Pool via AP)
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R- Ky.) criticized the Biden administration for not doing more to help Ukraine. He suggested anything that has been done to help the nation often comes too late.
“Unfortunately, the administration keeps on dragging its heels,” asserted the Republican lawmaker. “Even when they do the right thing, they do it too late and the administration needs to get the message.”
McConnell’s comments on Tuesday came ahead of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s virtual address to Congress. The senator added, the administration seems to be worried about the repercussions that could arise due to helping Ukraine.
“With regard to the ongoing war in Ukraine, it seems to me the President believes that any effort to help the Ukrainians is potentially provocative to the Russians,” McConnell stated. “Look, the provocations already occurred. The war is underway. We need to do any and everything we can to help our Ukrainian friends.”
Additionally, while he said the U.S. won’t enforce a no-fly zone in Ukraine, McConnell stressed there are other things the U.S. could do to help Ukraine gain dominance in the air in its fight against Russia. The federal government’s decision last week not to back a plan to provide fighter jets to the Ukrainian Air Force is a move McConnell believes to be a big mistake.
“We are not going to enforce a no-fly zone in Ukraine, but there are a lot of weapons that are extremely effective in controlling the air,” explained the Senate Minority Leader. “A good example of that are the MiGs that the Poles were anxious to send to Ukraine, which the administration apparently discouraged them from doing.”
Putin’s initial aggression was just a small foretaste of what this thug had planned for Ukraine. America’s response will be measured carefully by our friends, by our adversaries, and by history itself. We cannot afford to fail this test. My full statement: pic.twitter.com/rNa3IPatxH
— Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) February 24, 2022
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Zelensky, once again, pleaded to Congress for a humanitarian no-fly zone while appearing virtually to members in the Visitor Center Auditorium on Capitol Hill Wednesday. He also asked Congress for increased sanctions and restrictions on all Russian politicians.
Source: One America News Network
