In the United States, Republicans are torn over Ukraine

Is it a “vital” interest of the US to protect Ukraine? Or should Washington focus on internal crises, such as immigration? The issue sharply divides Republicans between segregationist presidential candidates and warring senators.

The comments from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who called for “defending our homeland” before “war abroad,” shed a harsh light on the rift within the conservative party.

“The United States has many important interests, such as ensuring the security of our borders,” said the rising star of the hard-wing, who has very openly toyed with a presidential candidacy in 2024.

“It is not in these interests to escalate further into a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia,” he said.

– $110 billion –

The comment immediately put Republican staffers in the lurch of the Senate, which has aligned with Democrats in Congress over the past year to release more than $110 billion in aid to Kiev.

Influential Senator Lindsey Graham said on Twitter on Tuesday: “When an American official tells an adversary what he will not do in conflict, he is displaying a position of weakness.”

The South Carolina elected official who called for the Russian president to be “taken down” alleges he is not afraid of a “victory” for Vladimir Putin “on one of the world’s most glaring issues”. seriously wrong”.

In short: They fear that Russia’s victory in Ukraine could open the door for Chinese President Xi Jinping in his craze around Taiwan.

Already in January, this senator – although very close to Donald Trump – was full of praise for the “formidable” position adopted by the united Democrats on Ukraine – as a snub to his own left-wing convictions.

A position shared by powerful leader of Republicans in the Senate Mitch McConnell, who visited the Ukrainian capital in May 2022 and recent announcements bolstered the most Atlanticist positions within Congress.

– Not McCarthy in Kyiv –

But unlike Donald Trump, the candidate for 2024, who repeatedly reiterates that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine would never have happened if he was still in power.

“If I were president, this terrible war would be over in 24 hours or less,” he said on Monday.

The former White House tenant also urged Brussels to “strengthen its financial support” to Kiev, believing it owed more to the European Union than the United States to finance opposition to Russia.

Could these feuding among Republicans have any effect on the flow of military, economic and humanitarian aid that Washington provides to Kiev?

In order to be adopted, each of the massive envelopes planned for Ukraine must be voted on in the Senate — in the hands of Democrats — and the House of Representatives.

However, since early January, the lower house has come under Republican control.

Their new “speaker” Kevin McCarthy – elected in pain after compromising with the Trumpist fringe of his parliamentary group – has already indicated he will not approve any “blank cheques” for Ukraine.

and has so far declined an invitation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to visit Kiev to “form an opinion” on the conflict.