Ukrainian-born Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., blasted President Joe Biden and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Wednesday for "playing politics" with the conflict in Ukraine.
"President Biden has to stop playing politics, have a clear strategy, and align security assistance with our strategy," Spartz said in a statement Wednesday. "President Zelenskyy has to stop playing politics and theater and start governing to better support his military and local governments, and Congress has to establish proper oversight of critical infrastructure and delivery of weapons and aid."
Spartz said she immigrated to the United States 22 years ago after living in Ukraine for 22 years, 13 of them under Soviet rule.
"I was young, idealistic, and inspired by the ideas of freedom. These ideas of freedom, or more like erosion of freedoms, have led me to become involved with politics," she said. "When I became a Congresswoman, I intentionally decided not to get involved with any international issues, including Ukraine, since I believed we had too many domestic issues shaking up our country from within. We still do, but when a major war in Ukraine broke out, I understood that I could be of significant value to my colleagues and our country."
Spartz said she visited Europe and Ukraine and understands the situation on the ground there and believes the three factors she outlined will help "get the situation under control."
She is part of a minority of Congressional Republicans that, while supporting the Ukrainian war effort following Russia's Feb. 24 invasion, have expressed concerns over the $40 billion aid package passed in May and signed by Biden.
"I will vote against policies I like if it's going to continue us on the same pathway that's taken us from $18 trillion [in debt] when I got here to $30 trillion," Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., said in a brief interview reported by Politico in May. "They're going to borrow all the money to do it."
Braun was one of 11 GOP Senators, including Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who briefly blocked the bill in the Senate, and 57 GOP House members to vote against the bill for financial reasons, Politico reported at the time.
The bill eventually passed 81-11 in the Senate, the Politico report said.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., visited Zelenskyy in Ukraine with other GOP leaders to show solidarity with the Ukrainians.
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