We are facing a struggle for the global balance of power, with the largest invasion in Europe and the biggest threat to the Pacific since World War II, warned House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul, R-Texas.
He was speaking on ABC's "This Week" with Martha Raddatz.
McCaul said Russia's Vladimir Putin and China's Chairman Xi Jinping have had an "unholy alliance" since the Beijing Olympics.
"Xi called Putin his 'best friend' several years ago. … It's been reported that they are contemplating sending 100 drones ... and other lethal weapons into Russia. We also know they're buying all their energy from them, economically supporting them. … To me, that's very disturbing because what may be Ukraine today, it's going to be Taiwan tomorrow. That's why this is so important."
Congress and President Joe Biden should prioritize getting weapons systems into Ukraine so that they can win the fight against Russia, McCaul said.
McCaul visited Ukraine last week and met with top officials in the country, conducting vigorous, in-person oversight of U.S. assistance.
"We can certainly write into our appropriations bills prioritizing weapons systems, and we intend to do that. … I think with enough pressure from Congress on both sides of the aisle, we can get into Ukraine what they really need to win this fight," McCaul said.
"For God's sake, it takes three to six months to train [Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s]. We need to do this now."
"This whole thing is taking too long. They have a window of time with the counter-offensive." Putin wants the war to be dragged out, he said.
On current oversight, McCaul said: "I did a firsthand, you know, [oversight of U.S. funding] in theater in Ukraine and in Poland. … We have three IG audits right now. We have an audit by Deloitte. We also have end-use monitoring on the weapons and barcoding systems. [The American people] want to know that their money is being spent wisely."
There has been some resistance in Congress to providing aid for Ukraine, but McCaul said: "What would Reagan do? I would ask my fellow colleagues … what would he do? He brought down the Soviet Union. I think he would stand for freedom and democracy."
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