Congressional Republican lawmakers are calling on President Joe Biden to curb U.S. aid to Ukraine amid the war with Russia in a letter released on Thursday.
Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) spearheaded a group of 19 GOP lawmakers who expressed "concern" that "the trajectory of U.S. aid to the Ukrainian war effort threatens further escalation and lacks much-needed strategic clarity."
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The Biden administration announced a $325 million aid package to Ukraine on Wednesday, which will send military equipment to the beleaguered nation. Meanwhile, Congress had approved $113 billion in aid and military assistance to Ukraine in 2022, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. The one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine occurred in February, which Biden commemorated by making a surprise visit to Kyiv, Ukraine.
As such, the lawmakers wrote that the Ukraine-Russia war has "no end in sight and no clear strategy to bring this war to a close."
Going further, the letter states, "Unrestrained U.S. aid for Ukraine must come to an end, and we will adamantly oppose all future aid packages unless they are linked to a clear diplomatic strategy designed to bring this war to a rapid conclusion."
Fellow Republican lawmakers have also called into question the amount of assistance given to Ukraine, including former President Donald Trump and potential 2024 presidential rival Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL). DeSantis caused a stir last month when he stated that Ukraine was not a vital interest to the U.S.
“While the U.S. has many vital national interests — securing our borders, addressing the crisis of readiness within our military, achieving energy security and independence, and checking the economic, cultural, and military power of the Chinese Communist Party — becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia is not one of them," DeSantis said in a written response to a Fox News questionnaire. "The Biden administration’s virtual “blank check” funding of this conflict for “as long as it takes,” without any defined objectives or accountability, distracts from our country’s most pressing challenges."
DeSantis walked back his remarks about Ukraine weeks later after facing public criticism for his remarks. "I think it’s been mischaracterized," he told Fox Nation of his comments.
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"There are appropriate ways in which the U.S. can support the Ukrainian people, but unlimited arms supplies in support of an endless war is not one of them," the lawmakers concluded. "Our national interests, and those of the Ukrainian people, are best served by incentivizing the negotiations that are urgently needed to bring this conflict to a resolution. We strongly urge you to advocate for a negotiated peace between the two sides, bringing this awful conflict to a close."
Spokespersons for Lee and Crane did not respond to the Washington Examiner's request for comment.
Republican signatories include: