Republican lawmakers are starting to urge President Trump to reverse his decisions to pause U.S. military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine, warning that a prolonged stoppage of U.S. help for the war effort would have a seriously detrimental effect.
They say that Trump has the right to temporarily halt weapons shipments to Ukraine to assess the war, pressure NATO allies to step up their contributions and to create a window to negotiate a peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
But they warn that stopping the flow of weapons and munitions to Ukraine for too long could have a devastating effect on Ukraine’s warfighting ability, which would undercut its leverage in talks with Russia.
And GOP lawmakers say that sharing intelligence should resume immediately, wondering what the United States has to gain from depriving Ukraine from critical battlefield intelligence.
“It’s a concern for the Ukrainian people. I worry more about how people on the battlefield” feel about it, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), a leading advocate for supporting Ukraine, said of the pause on U.S. military shipments.
Tillis warned the pause in aid, which was announced Monday, “could be helpful to Putin.”
“I think it’s bad optics,” he said.
“I know it’s hard for the people in Ukraine, I was just there two weeks ago,” he said.
Tillis said Ukraine has enough weapons and munitions to hold the front line for now but expressed his hope that the pause in military aid wouldn’t last long.
He said he’s “ok” with a pause as long as it’s a short-term “negotiation tactic.”
“I’m hoping and praying that it’s short-lived,” he said. “I think it will be.”
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she opposed the stoppage of military aid.
“I do not think we should be pausing our efforts. It’s the Ukrainians who are shedding blood,” she said, calling the current moment “a critical time for Ukraine.”
Some Republican senators expressed shock Thursday over Trump’s statement that he would make a decision on revoking the temporary legal status for an estimated 240,000 Ukrainians living in the United States.
One Republican senator who requested anonymity called the threat to deport thousands of Ukrainian refugees excessively “punitive.”
“We’ve given them everything from jobs to housing,” the lawmaker pointed out.
The moves to limit assistance to Ukraine and Ukrainians comes after Trump, Vice President Vance and Zelensky got into a heated argument in the Oval Office last week. Zelensky had come to the U.S. to sign a minerals deal but left the White House after the public blowup.
Trump announced at his address to Congress Tuesday that he had received a letter from Zelensky pledging that Ukraine is “ready” to sign an agreement on minerals and security “at any time.”
Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) said he hoped that Trump and Zelensky would be able to “regroup” and “come together and close the gap” on a U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal.
Ukraine has managed to keep Russian forces in check along the frontline despite having fewer munitions and troops.
But analysts warn that Ukraine’s forces could begin to splinter in the face of Russian pressure in four to six months unless European allies mobilize quickly to make up for a shortfall in U.S.-provided weapons.
Fedir Venislavky, a member of the Ukrainian parliament’s defense committee, estimated that his country’s supply of weapons would last only six months without new American aid, according to the BBC.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) emphasized that the pause on military aid to Ukraine will be temporary.
“It’s a pause, importantly, not a stop. I think it’s part of a negotiation. And I’m hopeful that in the end that we’ll get folks to the table and be able to negotiate a deal that will bring a peaceful resolution to this three years-long conflict, and one hopefully that will respect the sovereignty of the Ukrainian people,” he said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who has worked hard behind the scenes to put together the minerals deal, said he was dismayed by Trump’s announced pause on sharing intelligence with Ukraine.
“I’m very worried about that long-term,” he said. “It gives Ukraine an edge. Hopefully, all this will clear up pretty soon.”
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), a senior member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said “the intelligence that we provided the Ukrainians has been essential for them to be able to stay in the fight.”
“I hope the pause would be lifted at some point,” he said.
The Texas senator said that Trump is trying to exert leverage over Zelensky to agree to a deal.
“It’s a pause and I understand why until there’s some agreement with the Ukrainians that we’d want to do that,” he said.
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), a member of the Armed Services Committee, said he doesn’t support the decision to stop sharing intelligence with Ukraine.
“I disagree with it,” he said.
And he hopes the pause in military aid to Ukraine will only be temporary.
“I’m hopeful that with everything going on right now that will end up being a short-term issue and that we’ll end up with a longer-term agreement — providing military resources as part of a longer-term agreement,” he said.
Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), another member of the Armed Services panel, said the pause on intelligence sharing “is a decision that’s been made by the commander-in-chief.”
“I would hope that if there’s intel out there that would be very worthwhile for the Ukrainians that it would be passed on,” she said.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said he was “looking into” the decision to stop intelligence sharing.
