Republican and Democrat warmongers are very concerned that Ukrainian-born Republican lawmaker is hurting their war efforts by speaking out against Ukrainian President Zelensky and his closest aides. Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN) was the darling of the warmongers just a few short months ago.
But these days Rep. Spartz accused Kiev of screwing up the peace talks and even weapons deliveries. In response, Ukrainian officials accused Spartz of promoting Russian propaganda.
Rep. Spartz warned that the US must not create another Afghanistan with the billions of dollars in weapons they are gifting to Ukraine. This forced the warmongers to lecture Spartz on what’s best for her home country.
Politico reported:
House Republicans gave Ukraine-born Rep. Victoria Spartz a coveted platform to speak out against Russia’s war. They’re coming to regret that.
Spartz (R-Ind.), who has traveled to Ukraine a half-dozen times since the war began and spoken passionately about the conflict, shocked lawmakers in both parties recently with her intense criticisms of the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and his confidants. She drew a rare rebuke last weekend from the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, which accused her of “trying to earn extra political capital on baseless speculation.”
Inside the House GOP Conference, there’s a widespread fear that her posture is damaging U.S.-Ukraine relations at the worst possible time — and that she’s being played by forces that aim to weaken the Western alliance. GOP national-security hawks also worry that the MAGA wing of their party, where there’s already resistance to supporting Ukraine, will point to Spartz’s comments as justification.
They’re concerned that Spartz’s public break from Zelenskyy — and her corruption accusations about his closest aides — could portend future cracks in U.S. support for Ukraine, especially as the midterm elections approach.
House Republicans are seriously regretting giving Ukraine-born GOP Rep. Victoria Spartz a platform to speak on the war, after she started lobbing intense criticism at president Volodomyr Zelensky and his administration, drawing a rare rebuke last weekend from the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, which said she was “trying to earn extra political capital on baseless speculation.”
Rep. Victoria Spartz, who emigrated from Ukraine, speaks during a press conference about a Senate resolution calling for accountability for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Wednesday, March 2, 2022, at the Capitol in Washington. | Mariam Zuhaib/AP Photo
According to Politico, Republicans within the GOP Conference have “widespread fear” that her outspoken posture will damage US-Ukraine relations, and that the MAGA wing of their party – which has seen growing opposition to US support of the Ukraine war – will point to Spartz’s comments as justification.
Spartz, who has traveled to Ukraine about six time since the war began, released a statement earlier this months calling on Zelensky to “stop playing politics and theater” and “start governing to better support his military and local government.”
She also accused President Joe Biden of “playing politics” and said that he needs to present a “clear strategy and align security assistance with our strategy.”
Lastly, she called on lawmakers to “establish proper oversight of critical infrastructure and delivery of weapons and aid,” a concern shared among progressives over the possibility that the weapons could end up in the wrong hands.
The extraordinary statement comes after Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) asked President Joe Biden to brief Congress on years-old allegations against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak. Earlier this week, the freshman lawmaker also slammed both Biden and Zelensky for their approaches to the ongoing war, infuriating officials in both countries. -Politico
One anonymous GOP lawmaker who serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee told Politico “Her naiveness is hurting our own people,” adding “It is not helpful to what we’re trying to do and I’m not sure her facts are accurate … We have vetted these guys.”
Another senior House Republican who spoke on condition of anonymity simply said “What the fuck.”
Panic Spreads:
The Biden administration is even getting involved — another sign of growing worries that Spartz’s comments may damage cohesion among the Western coalition in defense of Kyiv. A Foreign Affairs Committee aide, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the U.S. intelligence community is planning to brief Spartz about her claims in a classified setting Friday morning. -Politico
“I don’t share her criticisms,” said Seen Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who has collaborated with Spartz on legislation concerning Ukraine. “I believe that the Zelensky government and the Ukrainian people have risen to the moment. It is in our national security interest to stand with the Ukrainian people and their elected leadership.”
Spartz defended herself to Politico in a statement:
“Growing up in Ukraine and visiting six times since the war started, I have a comprehensive understanding of the situation on the ground,” adding “The stakes are too high to be reactive without deliberation — as intended for our institution.”
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