Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) took a swing at Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) over the delay of a $40 billion Ukraine aid package.
While delivering remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday, Schumer said, “Tomorrow I expect the Senate will finish the critical task of approving another round of military, humanitarian and economic aid for the people of Ukraine.”
He continued, “This should already have been done and over with, but it is repugnant that one member of the other side, the junior senator from Kentucky, chose to make a show and obstruct Ukraine funding knowing full well he couldn’t actually stop its passage.”
Schumer argued, “For Sen. Paul to delay it for purely political motives is to strengthen Putin’s hand.”
Watch Schumer’s remarks below:
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer hits at Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) for delaying $40 billion Ukraine aid bill:
— The Recount (@therecount) May 18, 2022
"It is repugnant … For Senator Paul to delay Ukraine funding for purely political motives is to only strengthen Putin's hand." pic.twitter.com/R8y5jCsfzz
Paul single-handedly delayed the effort to send the aid to Ukraine last week, as The New York Times reported.
“My oath of office is to the U.S. Constitution, not to any foreign nation,” Paul said.
He added, “We cannot save Ukraine by dooming the U.S. economy.”
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) spoke out about the opposition in his party to sending aid to Ukraine.
“This is not some handout,” McConnell said.
He explained, “It’s important for the United States to help; it’s important for the free world to help.”
Additionally, McConnell argued it “is important for the Ukrainians to win, and hopefully not many members of my party will choose to politicize this issue.”
Former President Donald Trump also issued a statement criticizing the package.
“The Democrats are sending another $40 billion to Ukraine, yet America’s parents are struggling to even feed their children,” Trump said in a statement.
According to PBS, the package “would give Ukraine military and economic assistance, help regional allies, replenish weapons the Pentagon has shipped overseas and provide $5 billion to address global food shortages caused by the war’s crippling of Ukraine’s normally robust production of many crops.”
