House Republican says Congress doesn’t need to pass ‘Democrat bills’ on Ukraine

Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) on Sunday said Congress does not need to pass “Democrat bills” when it comes to Ukraine funding, indicating that a GOP-led House would provide the country “only what they need” while advocating for accountability over spending on the war.

Turner told ABC’s “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz that he personally told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky he will have bipartisan support in the next Congress.

But Turner also said Republicans will closely look at how much is being spent.

“We don’t need to pass $40 billion large Democrat bills that have been being passed to send $8 billion to Ukraine,” Turner said. “What we’re going to do — and it’s been very frustrating, obviously, even to the Ukrainians where they hear these large numbers in the United States as a result of the, you know, burgeoned Democrat bills and the little amount of aid that they receive. We’re going to make certain they get what they need.”

Republicans captured control of the House in the midterm elections and will hold a slim majority in the lower chamber when the next Congress forms in January.

Because the Senate will remain in Democrats’ hands, both parties will have to work with each other to keep helping Ukraine, which is preparing for a new phase in the war over the winter months.

Republicans have scrutinized the billions of dollars that have been passed for Ukraine this year, saying some of the money is unrelated spending. The $40 billion Ukraine aid bill passed in May did so with bipartisan support.

Earlier this month, the Biden administration asked Congress for an additional $37 billion, which President Biden is hoping that lawmakers can pass in the lame-duck session before January so Ukraine has guaranteed funding for the next few months.

Turner on Sunday said Republicans will make sure that Ukraine “gets what they need,” including critical weapons like air defenses after Russia has pounded the country with a wave of missile strikes.

“We need to make certain we work with partners and pull together an air defense system … to defend Kyiv, to defend their infrastructure,” he said.

— This article was updated 11/28 at 3:42 p.m.