Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday said he had “no idea” why a military aid package to Ukraine was delayed, but that it was good news the Trump administration agreed to release the money earlier this month.
“The good news is it finally happened. I have no idea what precipitated the delay, but I was among those advocating that we needed to stick with our Ukrainian friends,” Mr. McConnell told reporters at the Capitol. “I was not given an explanation. Fortunately, it finally happened and I’m glad about that.”
He said the Obama administration had “pulled back” from Ukraine.
“And I think this administration’s done a better job, actually, of standing behind the Ukrainians,” he said.
Congress is demanding answers about a whistleblower complaint reportedly tied to President Trump’s apparent threat to withhold the aid unless Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky agreed to probe the business dealings of Hunter Biden, the son of Democratic presidential front-runner Joseph R. Biden.
“We’re going to find out what happened — in the Senate, through a process pre-established by the intelligence committee, behind closed doors initially with the acting” Director of National Intelligence, Mr. McConnell said. “I think that’s the responsible, rather apolitical, bipartisan way to proceed with what we think we know at this particular point.”
Mr. Trump on Tuesday denied trying to improperly influence Mr. Zelensky, saying the hold-up was related to a desire to get other countries to contribute their fair share of funds.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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