U.S. Republican lawmakers are calling on President Donald Trump to reverse his decision to suspend military and intelligence aid to Ukraine, warning that the move could have serious consequences.
This was reported by The Hill on Friday, as cited by Ukrinform.
“They (lawmakers) acknowledge Trump has the right to temporarily halt weapons shipments to Ukraine to assess the war, pressure NATO allies to step up their contributions and to create a window to negotiate a peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky,” the article states.
However, members of Congress warn that an extended freeze on arms and ammunition supplies to Ukraine could significantly weaken Ukraine’s military capabilities and undermine leverage over Russia in potential negotiations. Regarding intelligence sharing, Republicans stress that it must be restored immediately.
“It’s a concern for the Ukrainian people. I worry more about how people on the battlefield feel about it,” Sen. Thom Tillis said. He warned the pause in aid, which was announced Monday, “could be helpful to Putin.”
Senator Susan Collins, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, also highlighted the negative impact of halting military assistance.
“I do not think we should be pausing our efforts. It’s the Ukrainians who are shedding blood,” she said, calling the current moment “a critical time for Ukraine.”
Some Republican senators on Thursday expressed shock over Trump’s consideration of revoking the temporary protected status (TPS) for approximately 240,000 Ukrainians living in the U.S. One unnamed Republican senator criticized the potential deportation of thousands of Ukrainian refugees, calling the measure “excessively punitive.”
As Ukrinform previously reported, earlier this week, Trump ordered a pause on all U.S. military aid to Ukraine to pressure Kyiv into demonstrating a “good-faith commitment” to peace. Later, the U.S. administration confirmed that it had also halted intelligence-sharing with Ukraine.
Photo: Stefani Reynolds / Bloomberg
Source: Republicans in Congress urge Trump to resume military aid to Ukraine
