Kurt Volker, former U.S. ambassador to NATO, told Newsmax on Tuesday that the White House is not listening to Republicans' concerns about the southern border and is causing friction by inviting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to visit.
Zelenskyy was expected to meet with President Joe Biden on Tuesday and address a meeting of senators as he seeks additional aid for Ukraine's war against the Russian incursion. Biden has asked Congress to authorize $61.4 billion in new funding for Ukraine amid a push by lawmakers for increased border security measures.
"There's a majority of Republicans in the House, a majority of Republicans in the Senate — same with the Democrats — who all favor providing this aid to Ukraine, and I think they do so because they recognize that it is our security interest," Volker said on Newsmax's "National Report."
"With less than 5% of the U.S. defense budget over one year, we've seen the Ukrainians take out half the Russian military. This is a bargain, so I don't think anyone is disputing, in a majority of Republicans or Democrats in either chamber, that we should provide this aid.
"But what the Republicans are saying and, the White House does not seem to be listening, is that we need to show the American people that we are protecting our own border as well. It's hard to explain sending money to Ukraine, but we won't protect ourselves, so they need to show that we are doing both."
Volker added that he initially believed a compromise on the Ukraine aid and border funding impasse was in the offing for this week. Now, he's "less optimistic" because he said "the administration appears to be trying to raise the temperature on this, with Zelenskyy's visit, and not actually working toward a compromise."
Volker also discussed the process of providing military aid to Kyiv, which he says is about $45 billion in military equipment over the past 10 to 11 months.
"The way that's counted is we buy military equipment from the U.S. defense industry, in many U.S. different states, and give it to the Pentagon and the Pentagon gives Ukraine the old stuff that it replaces," he said. "So, we are actually getting better equipment for the U.S. military, money into U.S. defense industry and jobs, rebuilding our defense industrial base, and Ukraine is using it to eliminate a Russian threat.
"So, that is the way that has worked so far. We have used up about that amount in aid. The $60 billion being asked for will cover all of next year so that we don't have to go through this again during an election year. I think it's the right call."
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
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