Republican War Hawk Says U.S. Support for Ukraine Depends on Counteroffensive
Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Monday (May 1) that future US support for Ukraine depends on Kyiv’s looming counteroffensive.
“I think there’s going to be a lot riding on the line with this counteroffensive,” McCaul told Bloomberg.
“If Ukraine is successful in the eyes of the American people and the world, I think it will be a game-changer for continued support. If they are not, that will also have an impact, in a negative way, though.”
The US has put enormous weight on Kyiv’s expected counteroffensive and has helped Ukraine prepare for the assault by training soldiers and sending more arms. But leaked Pentagon documents and media reports indicate the US doesn’t expect Kyiv to regain significant territory.
McCaul said he expects Ukraine to focus its counteroffensive on the land bridge Russia has secured to Crimea.
He said after Ukraine pushed back Russian forces, Kyiv could “call for a ceasefire, after which we can then maybe have negotiations, to finally resolve this.”
McCaul has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine and has criticized President Biden for not providing Kyiv with everything it has asked for, including fighter jets and longer-range missiles, despite the risk of escalation.
There is a small faction among Republicans in Congress who oppose aid to Ukraine, but overall, Republican leadership is still all in on funding the war.
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