GOP Leader McCarthy slams Biden for continued 'mistake' on Ukraine
Rep. Kevin McCarthy said on 'Sunday Night in America' that there is a bi-partisan support to supply Ukraine with weapons to defend themselves.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., appeared on "Sunday Night in America" to discuss what he considered President Biden's problem when it comes to Ukraine.
Speaking with Trey Gowdy, McCarthy first complimented Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his address to Congress last week, where he invoked American themes and requested weapons for Ukraine.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., wears a Ukrainian flag in his pocket in the chamber of the House of Representatives before the State of the Union address by President Biden to a joint session of Congress at the Capitol, Tuesday, March 1, 2022, in Washington.. (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool via AP) (Jim Lo Scalzo/Pool via AP)
"What he did say was to help us, and he weaved in themes of America from 9/11 to Pearl Harbor to Martin Luther King. It was a very moving talk, but he never asked to send American men and women into war. All he asked was allow us to have the weapons to defend ourselves," McCarthy said.
"This is where President Biden has continued to make a mistake. It wasn’t just how he pulled out of Afghanistan. It wasn’t that he said in a press conference that if Putin took a little of Ukraine it would be okay. He was too slow in providing the weapons, so that Ukraine could defend itself," McCarthy explained.
Biden previously authorized $200 million in new security assistance but has been hesitant in transferring MiG fighter jets, fearing the move to be escalatory. The White House also rejected additional special operations personnel requested to Ukraine in December out of fears of provoking Russia.
"I think there’s a bipartisan support to supply the weapons to Ukraine to defend themselves. The difficulty here is that Biden has waited so long the supply chain is not just there yet, the routes to get it to the locations. And it’s all throughout Ukraine," McCarthy said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivers a virtual address to the U.S Congress. (Drew Angerer/Pool via REUTERS)
He added, "If he had taken action sooner, maybe Putin would have not invaded Ukraine, but we need to supply them the weapons to defend themselves."
Gowdy agreed that Biden appeared more invested in diplomacy rather than action and questioned what McCarthy would do differently.
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"At this moment in time, it’s really the actions you should have taken before. I would continue to help Ukraine, but I’d take a different action going forward. I would look to Taiwan. Don’t make the same mistake twice. Do not let China become stronger in their ability to take Taiwan. Sell Taiwan the weapons to defend themselves, so America is not getting asked the question to go to war," McCarthy said.
Photo of Ukraine President Zelenskyy and President Biden (AP/Office of the President of Ukraine)
He concluded, "Peace through strength we have seen time and time again works in this world. And when you have Ukraine who wants to defend themselves, don’t have them fight with sticks. Give them the weapons, so they can be able to win and deter Putin from every moving forward and bring the rest of the world together against Putin for these horrific actions and the murders that he has taking place right now."
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