Polish leader says US Republican senators should be ashamed for scuttling Ukrainian aid

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Thursday that U.S. Republican senators should be “ashamed” for leaving about $60 billion in wartime aid for Ukraine in limbo in a recent vote.

Poland borders Ukraine and has been pressing the U.S. and Europe for unwavering support for Kyiv’s struggle against Moscow’s aggression as security concerns mount in the region.

A vote in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday failed to back a $95 billion package for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies due to Republican opposition.

“Dear Republican Senators of America. Ronald Reagan, who helped millions of us to win back our freedom and independence, must be turning in his grave today. Shame on you,” Tusk wrote on X, formerly called Twitter.

By invoking Reagan, a former Republican president, and his efforts in the 1980s to support Poland’s struggle to shake off Moscow’s dominance, Tusk sought to underscore Washington’s global role and previous Republican values.

The roughly $60 billion that President Joe Biden is seeking in support for the Ukrainian armed forces has been stalled in Congress for months because of growing opposition from hard-line conservatives in the House of Representatives and Senate who see it as wasteful and demand an exit strategy for the war.

As a result of the impasse, the U.S. has halted arms shipments to Ukraine at a crucial point in the nearly two-year conflict.