In a dire warning, Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, emphasizes the urgency of the situation in Ukraine. Turner recently led a bipartisan congressional delegation to Kyiv, where he conveyed a crucial message to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that reinforcements are essential and are on the way.
Turner’s visit comes amidst escalating tensions between Ukraine and Russia, with Ukrainian soldiers facing significant challenges on the battlefield. “Soldiers are already rationing munitions and are unable to defend themselves fully,” Turner emphasized, underscoring the situation’s urgency.
While the Senate is set to pass a supplemental spending bill including aid for Ukraine, questions linger about the House’s commitment. Turner stresses the importance of Speaker Mike Johnson’s role in bringing the bill to the floor, warning that failure to act would be tantamount to abandoning Ukraine.
“We have to get this done,” he said. “This is no longer an issue of, ‘When do we support Ukraine?’ If we do not move, this will be abandoning Ukraine.”
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However, doubts exist among GOP lawmakers about allocating taxpayer dollars to Ukraine amid domestic concerns, including border insecurity. While hope exists for Johnson’s support, skepticism remains high, particularly since Donald Trump has recently criticized foreign aid.
Hawks, however, are clinging to hope — based, in part, on one whispered story: When NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was on Capitol Hill late last month, he told a small group of Republicans that the speaker had personally assured him he’d allow a vote on Ukraine aid — possibly as a standalone measure — and that it would likely pass the House.
“The speaker merely conveyed that each component of the supplemental must be evaluated on its own merits and can potentially be considered separately,” spokesperson Raj Shah said in a statement.
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Johnson came into the speakership last year pledging, “We can’t allow Vladimir Putin to prevail in Ukraine.”
Turner remains optimistic about Johnson’s commitment to Ukraine, and he believes this emphasizes the importance of bipartisan support in addressing authoritarian aggression and protecting democratic principles. He believes Democrats will stand by Johnson if faced with opposition from the hard right, demonstrating the situation’s importance and critical nature.
“I don’t think that this is one of those issues where you can change positions,” he said. “You’re either for or against the authoritarian governments invading democratic countries. … You’re either for or against the killing of innocent civilians. You’re either for or against Russia reconstituting the Soviet Union.”
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Turner added that if the hard right comes after Johnson, he believes Democrats will protect him from a motion to vacate. “They know the work we have yet to get done this year is essential and critical,” he said. “If the Democrats allow the fringe that threatens Johnson’s job every day to be successful, then all their priorities and the nation’s priorities would fail.”
In the face of geopolitical challenges and internal political dynamics, the fate of Ukraine hangs in the balance. Turner’s warning is that time is running out, and decisive action is needed to support Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression.
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