House Speaker Mike Johnson is under pressure to address the situation in Ukraine as the anniversary of Russia’s invasion approaches.
The GOP is divided on the issue, with some questioning U.S. involvement while others emphasize the importance of supporting Ukraine.
“Ukrainians are literally running out of ammo and fleeing cities while Putin kills off his main rival in the gulag. Now is not a good time to give the Russians a hand,” a Senate GOP aide said.
Recent events, including Russia’s capture of a city and the death of a Putin critic, have intensified the debate.
Calls for action, including a proposed security package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, are increasing.
“He’s either going to have to do it — put it on the floor himself — or it’s going to be by virtue of a discharge petition, which is a complete evisceration of his power because it basically says we’re going to do this without the speaker being in charge,” House Foreign Affairs Chair Michael McCaul said.
Johnson faces challenges from within his party regarding potential aid for Ukraine, with some members threatening his leadership.
The decision on whether to bring a Ukraine aid bill to a vote poses a personal risk for Johnson, with concerns raised about corruption in Ukraine and internal party dynamics affecting the situation.
“There is significant pressure on Johnson to act. That is part of the reason why Republicans that oppose Ukraine aid were so keen to see the Senate fail to pass [their plans],” Razom for Ukraine policy analyst Doug Klain said. “They know the urgency, and members of Congress, including Johnson, they’ve been getting classified briefings telling them just how critical U.S. aid is to the war effort and what the stakes are for Ukraine.”
“They really want this to be a Republican bill, and getting a … really stripped-down version of H.R.2 for Ukraine funding is not necessarily what they want,” a senior House GOP aide said.
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