House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), a gregarious type who stops to greet tourists making their way to the House side of the U.S. Capitol, studiously avoided being photographed in public Thursday with one visitor: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Zelenskyy was visiting with lawmakers in an attempt to rustle up additional U.S. support for Ukraine in its war with Russia ― framing the smaller country’s struggle as an effort to defend democracy itself.
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But at the same time, one key committee chairman within McCarthy’s own conference suggested that Congress pass a bill requiring the Biden administration to give Zelenskyy the weapons for which he’s been pleading for months, because the White House is moving too slowly.
Welcome to House Republicans and Ukraine, 2023 edition.
With saying “This is our flag,” followed by a U.S. flag emoji, and “This one isn’t,” followed by a Ukrainian flag emoji.
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Zelenskyy himself remains politically popular, even if his reception at the Capitol this time was muted. An August poll commissioned by pro-Ukraine group Razom for Ukraine found Zelenskyy had a net favorability rating of 30% among Americans, though a negative 10% with Republicans. Russian President Vladimir Putin registered a negative 81% in the survey.
McCaul remained optimistic that Ukraine will get what it needs, saying: “A majority of the majority want this.”
But he worried that continued dithering will erode that support, even as the country shows courage in fighting Russian aggressors. Ukrainian troops are trying to advance without air cover and have resorted to taking out land mines by hand at night, McCaul said.
“A stalemate and a war of attrition is exactly what Putin wants,” he added.
