Biden’s slow response to Zelenskyy ‘has cost Ukrainian lives,’ top Republican on House intel panel says

Ukrainians have died as a result of the Biden administration has been sluggish to offer weapons and provides to the nation’s forces because it fights towards Russia, the highest Republican on the Home Intelligence Committee advised Fox Information.

“The Biden administration actually must step up,” U.S. Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio stated. “Though they’ve been publicly making statements of commitments to offer Ukraine the instruments and weapons to defend themselves, they have been very sluggish to take action.

“That, after all, has value Ukrainian lives,” he continued.

RUSSIA INVADES UKRAINE: LIVE UPDATES

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Congress on Wednesday and reiterated his request for a no-fly zone and extra army tools. Later within the day, President Biden introduced the U.S. would ship an extra $800 million in army support for Ukrainian forces to proceed preventing the Russian invasion.

The Russians are “taking pictures missiles into residential areas and dropping bombs on people who find themselves attempting to evacuate,” Turner stated. “That is the air warfare that Zelenskyy has described through which they’re murdering so many individuals.”

Safe the airspace

Ukrainians want both plane or rockets to safe their airspace, Turner stated.

“Give them surface-to-air missiles that may make the airspace over Ukraine contested,” Turner stated hours earlier than the White Home announcement.

White Home press secretary Jen Psaki holds a information briefing within the White Home, March 16, 2022. 
(Getty Pictures)

The White Home stated the extra army support it is sending consists of anti-aircraft programs, anti-armor programs, unmanned aerial programs, rifles, ammunition and physique armor. 

BIDEN APPROVES MORE ANTI-AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS, DRONES FOR UKRAINE, WARNS OF ‘LONG AND DIFFICULT BATTLE’

The choice got here simply days after the U.S. stated it could rush one other $200 million price of small arms, anti-tank and anti-aircraft defenses – pushing the full U.S. provide of defensive tools for Kyiv to $2 billion over the past 12 months.

Turner additionally stated the president must undertaking extra confidence. He advised Fox Information that Biden appears apprehensive on the world stage.

Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio speaks with Fox Information Digital.

‘Timid and afraid’

“He appears virtually timid and afraid of what Russia could do versus being appalled at what Russia is doing,” Turner stated, including that Putin must be taken actually when he speaks.

“When [Putin] threatens nations with nuclear weapons, he means it,” Turner advised Fox Information. “Saying he needs to reconstitute the geographical space of the Soviet Union, he means it.”

Supplying the Ukrainian forces to battle Russian forces is crucial to diminishing Russia’s total army functionality, in line with Turner. 

“The president wants to have the ability to stand as much as [Putin] and to say that the US actually will deter Russia and all threats from them,” Turner stated. 

Fox Information’ Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.