(NewsNation) — As the debate over providing additional aid to Ukraine intensifies, GOP lawmakers in Congress find themselves divided on the issue.
The White House is pushing Congress for an additional $24 billion in aid as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits Washington, D.C., to meet with President Joe Biden and members of Congress to gain support.
Six Republican senators and 23 Republican members of the House wrote to the White House saying they are adamantly against any increase in U.S. aid to Ukraine.
One of those Republicans is Congressman Warren Davidson, a representative from Ohio and a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Biden has “an open checkbook, no limit to the money and no limit to the spending,” Davidson said. “And frankly, you know what, what I’m hearing is that it’s going to take hundreds of billions more with an indefinite timeline.”
Davidson expressed concerns about an escalating financial commitment from the U.S. and the lack of a defined mission. He introduced the “Define the Mission Act,” which urges the Biden administration to articulate its objectives.
“It just says to the Biden administration, you tell me, what is your mission? What exactly are you trying to accomplish?” Davidson said.
He questioned the Biden administration’s approach to the Ukrainian crisis, pointing out that its initial offer was to evacuate Zelenskyy rather than provide military support.
“So let’s not forget that was Biden’s opening offer, ‘We’ll get you out,'” Davidson said. “He was prepared for the whole nation to crumble and be rolled up by Russia in a heartbeat.”
Davidson argued that the current approach entails an open-ended commitment of financial resources without a clear timeline for success.
“It is at great cost with no definition of success and no accountability,” he said.
He asserted that without a clear mission and accountability, it is challenging to determine the extent of resources required for the effort.
In response to Senator Lindsey Graham’s strong support for aiding Ukraine, Davidson expressed skepticism about the level of U.S. involvement.
He believes that while the Ukrainian people are fighting for their country, the situation does not warrant sending American troops. He also stressed the need for a comprehensive examination of the crisis and its potential consequences.
“There are a lot of things that should be given more scrutiny,” he said. “I don’t think Lindsey Graham is giving it the scrutiny that it deserves.”
Contrary to former President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the conflict could be resolved quickly, Davidson acknowledged the complexity of the Ukrainian crisis. He maintains that preventing the invasion would have been easier than resolving it now.
“The Biden administration hasn’t provided that in the most classified setting what exactly they’re trying to accomplish, and they need to do that,” Davidson said. “Frankly, you don’t really know how many resources they need until they tell you what the mission is.”