On Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) pushed President Biden to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, removing the country's sovereign immunity from civil liability.
During a press conference from Stockholm, he said, "I think it's a wonderful idea, and I would support that." "I would advise the president to do it on his own."Following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday, McConnell recommended designating Russia as a terrorist supporter. Senators John Barrasso (Wyo. ), John Cornyn (Texas), and Susan Collins (Maine) were among the other Republicans in attendance.
Despite recent criticism of a $40 billion Ukrainian aid package by prominent Republicans such as former President Donald Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, McConnell assured Zelensky that "support for Ukraine in this war against the Russians is bipartisan" and that the "overwhelming majority" of national security-minded Republicans support the Ukrainian resistance to the Russian invasion (Ga.).
"This open aggression cannot be tolerated," McConnell stated. "I wanted to reassure them that there was a lot of support in Congress for keeping the fight going."
Last week, Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) submitted a resolution calling for the Russian Federation to be designated as a state supporter of terrorism.
The bipartisan bill would direct Secretary of State Antony Blinken to include Russia on the list, with Cuba, North Korea, Iran, and Syria.Last week, former White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that the United States has already imposed crushing "economic penalties" and "sanctions on individuals," effectively making Russia a "global pariah," but that "we'll see what happens in Congress."
More than 3,000 Ukrainian civilians have perished since the invasion began, according to the UN human rights office, although other analysts believe the death toll from Russian shelling and bombing is significantly higher.
The bodies of people were found shot execution-style with their hands tied behind their backs in Bucha, a village just outside Kyiv, producing some of the most gruesome images of war crimes.
On Sunday, McConnell restated his belief that US military aid to Ukraine should continue as long as Ukrainians desire to oppose the Russian incursion.
"How does it end?" is a perennial question. And, in my opinion, the Ukrainians must make that decision. "Whatever Zelensky and the Ukrainians agree on as a satisfactory conclusion is my notion of triumph," he stated.
Zelensky's goal, according to McConnell, is "territorial integrity," which would require Russians to return to their homeland.
On Monday, the Senate will vote on whether to proceed with the $40 billion Ukrainian aid plan, and the bill will be approved on Wednesday, according to the Republican leader.
When asked about the 57 House Republicans who voted against the aid bill last week, he replied, "I think it's necessary for the United States to help, for the free world to support, for the Ukrainians to win, and hopefully not many members of my party will choose to politicize this issue."
It received a resounding 368-57 vote in the lower chamber.
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