Republicans push back on Donald Trump’s wavering support for Ukraine

A small group of congressional Republicans is publicly breaking with Donald Trump over his shift toward Moscow, and some are warning they may stop backing his legislative priorities. The friction follows the president's decision to suspend sanctions on Russia authorized by a law named for the late Senator Lindsey Graham, which Trump had signed only a month earlier, and his announcement of an arrangement with Vladimir Putin to buy Russian diesel, according to The Guardian.

Trump also said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has no interest in ending the fighting, and proposed that someone else take over negotiations for Ukraine. Zelenskyy told Bloomberg he sees Washington nudging his country toward surrender. Ukrainian officials have further complained that access to Starshield satellite service was limited, and Zelenskyy accused the US of holding back intelligence about a Russian missile strike.

Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska called the conduct "absolutely disgraceful" and said he would not back items like a victory arch. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania warned of budgetary penalties if answers are not provided. Senator Darline Graham of South Carolina preferred leaning on Russia, citing distrust of Putin. Senator Bill Cassidy and former Senator Mitt Romney also objected.

Summarized by PolitiKool from The Guardian’s reporting. Read the full story at The Guardian →