Pro-Ukraine PAC launched with eye on congressional races  

A pro-Ukraine political campaign committee has launched to boost lawmakers who are supportive of the country as it attempts to fend off Russia’s invasion. 

The new group, dubbed American Ukraine PAC, is headed by Jed Sunden, the founder of Kyiv Post, the oldest English-language newspaper in Ukraine, which he owned from 1995 to 2009. 

“We want to raise money in support of congressmen who support Ukraine,” Sunden told The Hill. The PAC aims to raise “money for their campaigns.” 

Over the next few months, the group aims to have 20 fundraisers for lawmakers in Congress from both sides of the aisle. For many of the fundraisers, the PAC will be partnering with local Ukrainian communities. 

“The Ukrainian community has a lot of allies in Congress who support us and support Ukraine. It is incumbent on us to support them in their re-election campaigns” Sunden said.

One of the keys for the group will be backing members of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus, a bipartisan coalition of over 90 lawmakers on Capitol Hill that supports the embattled country.

The PAC will work to “build deep ties with candidates for the US House and Senate who advance the vital alliance between the United States and Ukraine,” according to its website.

The American Ukraine PAC said it launched with a “successful” fundraiser for Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), a member of the Congressional Ukrainian Caucus. 

“Rep Boyle has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine from the day he was elected to office,” Sunden said. “We are proud to support Rep Boyle in his reelection campaign.”

Sean Tobin, a spokesperson for Boyle, said the congressman has enjoyed support from his local Ukrainian-American community since first winning office in 2014, and welcomed the involvement of the American Ukraine PAC in this cycle.

“Now more than ever, we need to elect members of Congress who will stand with our brave Ukrainian allies, and not abandon them,” he said in an email.  

The formation of the group comes as Congress struggles to pass aid to Ukraine. 

President Biden has urged the House to pass it, including during his recent appearance at the annual Friends of Ireland luncheon to mark St. Patrick’s Day on Friday, with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) in attendance. 

The national security supplemental, which includes $60 billion in aid for Ukraine, passed the Senate last month. But Johnson has yet to bring the legislation to the floor. The bill also includes funding for Israel and humanitarian assistance for Palestinians in Gaza.

Johnson signaled this week that he plans to move on the aid, but has not shared details on how the package would turn out. At the House GOP retreat in West Virginia this week, he said the House is “processing through all the various options right now,” cautioning the supplemental “may not look exactly like the Senate supplemental.” Ukraine aid faces growing opposition in Johnson’s conference. 

Updated: 2:01 p.m.