Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) is urgent the Trump administration to rescind its pause on sending weapons to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.
“Senior U.S. navy officers have concluded that offering these crucial weapons to Ukraine is not going to endanger U.S. readiness, so I urge the administration to rapidly get the pipeline again up and working,” McCaul, who beforehand served as chair of the Home Armed Providers Committee, wrote Friday in a submit on social platform X.
“Pentagon officers halting weapons solely weakens President Trump’s noble makes an attempt at peace,” he added.
The Texas lawmaker’s request comes days after the Protection Division announced it would halt the supply of some air defense missiles and munitions to the war-torn nation, citing considerations round navy stockpiles being depleted. That call, in keeping with the White Home, was primarily based on an evaluation of the U.S.’s navy assist across the globe.
The Biden and Trump administrations have given tens of billions of {dollars} in navy help to Kyiv since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Ukraine hawks on Capitol Hill have criticized the Pentagon’s resolution, with Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) requesting more transparency on the matter.
“I respectfully request an emergency briefing from the White Home and the Division of Protection on the Pentagon’s current evaluation of our nation’s weapons and munitions stockpiles, in addition to the choice to withhold pressing, lifesaving navy help to Ukraine,” Fitzpatrick, wrote Wednesday in a letter to the White House.
President Trump told reporters a day afterward Air Drive One which the U.S. has given too many weapons to Ukraine and claimed former President Biden “emptied our complete nation giving them weapons, and we’ve got to be sure that we’ve got sufficient for ourselves.”
Trump, who has spoken with each Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin in current days, has labored to dealer a ceasefire within the greater than three-year conflict, with little outcomes.
After a call with Putin earlier Thursday, the president signaled the U.S. wouldn’t fully lower Ukraine off from help. He additionally mentioned he was “very disappointed” along with his dialog with the Russian chief, including, “I don’t assume he’s seeking to cease, and that’s too unhealthy.”
Lower than a day later, Moscow launched a massive drone attack on Ukraine that hit residential buildings, set automobiles and ambulances ablaze and left at the least one lifeless and round two dozen injured, in keeping with Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
McCaul, in a separate X submit, mentioned the assault exhibits Putin is “a conflict felony” and urged his colleagues to move laws that increases sanctions on Russia.
“Russia’s assault final night time on Ukraine makes it clear Putin is nothing greater than a conflict felony and a thug,” he wrote Friday. “And conducting such a large strike straight after his name with President Trump is disrespectful to the president’s honest makes an attempt to deliver peace.”
“Now could be the time to move the bipartisan, bicameral Russia sanctions invoice and guarantee Ukraine has the weapons it must defend itself,” he continued. “Putin has made it clear he’ll solely come to the negotiating desk as soon as he realizes the price of his continued bloodshed is just too excessive.”
The invoice, introduced in the upper chamber by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) would impose main and secondary sanctions on Russia and extra tariffs on imported items from any nation that buys Russian oil or fuel so long as the conflict continues.