Poland warns US House speaker over Russia's advances in Ukraine

On Monday, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski pleaded with US House Speaker Mike Johnson to permit a vote on fresh US aid for Ukraine, claiming Johnson would bear responsibility should the bill fail and Russia gains ground in combat.

The direct comments made by the senior European diplomat highlighted European concerns that Johnson’s conservative House Republicans may obstruct the delivery of American weapons, which Ukraine desperately needs to keep Russian forces at bay.

On Monday, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski pleaded with US House Speaker Mike Johnson to permit a vote on fresh US aid for Ukraine, claiming Johnson would bear responsibility should the bill fail and Russia gains ground in combat.

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The direct comments from the top European ambassador confirmed European concerns that the House Republicans, led by Johnson will block supplies of U.S. munitions that Ukraine urgently needs to hold Russian troops at bay.

While regaining about half of the land that Russia had taken during its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine is suffering from a manpower and ammunition shortage, particularly with regard to heavy artillery rounds. Additionally, Ukraine has lost ground in the east.

Johnson “has in the past spoken warmly about Ukraine,” according to Sikorski, who made the statement to the Atlantic Council think group.

“Therefore I’d like him to know that the whole world is watching what he would do and if the supplemental were not to pass and Ukraine was to suffer reversals on the battlefield it will be his responsibility,” he added.

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He was alluding to a $95 billion financing plan that this month, by a bipartisan vote of 70 to 30, passed the Democratic-controlled Senate and included $60 billion in security aid for Ukraine.

A request for comment was not immediately answered by Johnson’s office.

Without allowing the motion to be put to a vote, the speaker of the House, a supporter of former US President Donald Trump and the presumed Republican contender in the November election, sent the chamber into a two-week recess.

At a party gathering on February 14, he declared that the proposal put forth by President Joe Biden — who is anticipated to challenge Trump as the Democratic nominee — would not receive party support.

“Personal to Speaker Mike Johnson: please let democracy take its course,” Sikorski said.

Johnson selects which measures are placed to a vote in his capacity as speaker. If Obama permitted one, several Republicans who support the aid to Ukraine claim the proposal would pass the House.

Sikorski made reference to the military assistance that Moscow receives from Iran and North Korea when he declared that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “murderous invasion of Ukraine is being aided and abetted by a criminal family of dictators.”

He predicted that Putin’s success in Ukraine will “invite more thugs onto the world scene, and this will have dire consequences.”