Fox News journalist claims scandal among senators at Ukraine briefing
At the “secret briefing” in the Senate on the US administration’s request for aid to Ukraine and Israel, there was a “fractious” atmosphere due to disagreements between Republicans and Democrats, Fox News Channel’s senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram reported on social network X.
He cited Democratic majority leader in the upper house of Congress Chuck Schumer as saying that Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell “hijacked” the topic of the meeting by starting a discussion on US border security.
In addition, Schumer accused an unnamed Republican senator of “shouting” at one of the generals participating in the briefing. “And that (the US border. – Ed.) was not the purpose of the meeting at all. <…> One of them was disrespectful and started shouting at the general, one of the generals, and asking him why he didn’t go to the border,” Pergram quoted the Senate Democratic leader as saying.
He also cited several senators’ assessments, with North Dakota Republican Kevin Cramer noting the “dramatic nature” of the meeting and Virginia Democrat and Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner acknowledging that “passions were inflamed.”
Mitt Romney, a member of the upper chamber of Congress, earlier said Republican senators left the briefing on aid to Ukraine and Israel because they had not received a response from Democrats on their proposals. Vladimir Zelensky also cancelled his participation in the briefing “at the last moment”.
US President Joe Biden had earlier asked Congress for $106 billion in aid for Israel and Ukraine, but did not receive unequivocal support. The Republican-majority House of Representatives voted to support only Tel Aviv, but the Democrat-controlled Senate blocked the initiative. Biden has said he would not sign an Israel-only aid bill without Ukraine if Congress approves such a document.
Schumer said Tuesday that he was offering Republicans an amendment to the administration’s proposed bill that would address their request for border issues. Schumer called for no delay in approving aid to Ukraine and suggested a vote on the bill could come as early as Wednesday.