Rep. Keith Self, R-Texas, told Newsmax Saturday that the United States must give Ukraine the tools to go on the offensive in the next year to bring the war with Russia to a close.
"This saying that 'we're with [Ukraine] as long as it takes' is absolutely ridiculous," Self, who just returned from Kyiv, Ukraine, where he and the rest of a congressional delegation met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to mark the first anniversary of Russia's invasion, told "America Right Now" Saturday. "You cannot piecemeal men and equipment, supplies into a war and have success. You must go on the offense."
Self said the United States must give Ukraine the equipment and supplies to mount an offensive this year to make the war shorter and bring it to an end.
He said that is important as a demonstration to China that the West is strong enough to defend against it if it were to try and invade Taiwan.
"I came away with the feeling that if President [Joe] Biden was 'America first,' we would not be in this position," he said. "It's very evident on the ground that we need [an] 'America first' position so that we can deter a wider war and deter China."
Self said Zelenskyy talked with the delegation about his priorities for the country regarding the war with Russia, and that the U.S. needs to see them progress militarily against Russia before momentum starts swinging toward the other side and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"[Russia] has a much larger population [than Ukraine]," he said. "I think this is the year that we need to see results."
He said the military equipment being sent to Ukraine as part of America's more than $100 billion in military and humanitarian aid is being fully accounted for with as many as four separate audits to ensure the aid is going where it is supposed to.
He said, however, he is "less certain about the cash" being sent.
"I think we do need more oversight by the House of Representatives because the Biden administration is certainly not going to do it," he said. "The House must have more oversight on the cash we are giving the Ukrainian government."
Self said the war needs to end quickly, because after it is over Russia and Ukraine will still be neighbors and share a long border.
"These two countries will still be neighbors across a very long border," he said. "Let's get [the war] done. Let's get it ended."
About NEWSMAX TV:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America!
© 2023 Newsmax. All rights reserved.