UK Foreign Secretary warns US Republicans about Putin's Ukraine propaganda

During a visit to Washington on April 10, British Foreign Secretary David Cameron cautioned Republicans against succumbing to Russian propaganda regarding Ukraine, urging vigilance against Vladimir Putin's misinformation, Bloomberg reported.

"A lie is around the world before the truth can get its boots on," he said.

"Don’t listen to Putin’s lies about Ukraine. It is a free democracy that wants to be an independent sovereign country, that wants to be our ally and our friend, and we should be standing by our friends, because the world will be watching if we don’t."

Cameron also called on the U.S. Congress to consider assistance to Ukraine as an "investment in American security" that will help repel Russian invasion forces and curb Putin's ambitions.

"My plea really to American congressmen is this is actually an investment in American security," said the British diplomat.

“Ninety percent of what you spend will go into jobs here in America and you can make the decisive difference in getting Ukraine back on the front foot, and getting them to make sure Putin doesn’t win."

Read also: UK Foreign Secretary Cameron urges world ‘not to appease Putin’

During his visit to the United States, Cameron met with former U.S. President Donald Trump and tried to convince him of the need to support Ukraine, but this attempt apparently failed. The head of British diplomacy also failed to meet with House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Stalled Ukraine aid bill in Congress

Republicans have been blocking the Ukraine aid bill since October 2023. Initially, they cited the need to tighten U.S. migration policy.

The U.S. Senate in the final vote supported on Feb. 13 a bill that provides $95 billion in aid to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, $60 billion of which is for Kyiv.

The same day, House Speaker Mike Johnson once again criticized the Senate proposal. He stated that he was not going to submit the bill supported by the Senate for consideration.

After a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House on Feb. 28, Mike Johnson said that he would put the extension of aid to Ukraine to a vote "in a timely manner." During a meeting with leaders of both parties in Congress, Biden emphasized the "urgent need" to provide aid to Ukraine.

The speakers of 23 parliaments and the head of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, called on Johnson to bring the bill to the floor on Feb. 28. The next day, he said that the House of Representatives would not consider the issue of allocating aid to Ukraine until the U.S. government secures funding. Politico reported on March 19 that Johnson had advised Republicans to prepare a proposal to formalize at least part of the military aid to Ukraine in the form of a loan.

Read also: UK Foreign Secretary Cameron calls Germany to supply Ukraine with Taurus missiles

The U.S. House of Representatives approved on March 22 a package of bills to fund government agencies worth $1.2 trillion. It was sent to the Senate a few hours before the deadline.

The Senate passed a $1.2 trillion government funding package for the rest of the fiscal year on March 23, averting a shutdown. President Biden signed it the same day. At the same time, he called on the House of Representatives to pass a bill that would support Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

Republican Congressman Don Bacon said on March 31 that a bill to help Ukraine would be put to a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives immediately after the end of the Easter recess, which lasts until April 9.

Johnson said on April 1 that the bill would include "some important innovations."

Marjorie Taylor Greene, a member of the Republican Party and an ally of former U.S. President Donald Trump, urged Speaker Johnson on April 2 not to provide Ukraine with a $60 billion financial aid package.

Politico reported on April 5 that the Biden administration is negotiating new aid to Ukraine with the House speaker.

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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine