Response from the Republican leader to Zelensky's offer

(RT) ⸻ Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has invited US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to visit Kiev, in a bid to "help him with his position" on military aid to the country. McCarthy has promised not to authorize "blank checks" to Kiev, but backed a multibillion dollar arms package last year. Visiting Ukraine would help McCarthy with his position, as dozens of Democrats and Republicans have made the journey to Kiev in the year since Russia's military operation in Ukraine began. McCarthy has not made the trip, and told CNN that he has no plans to change this. He argued that he doesn't have to go to Ukraine to understand whether there's a blank check or not. The Democratic Party has unanimously backed President Biden's policy of propping up Ukraine's government and military for as long as it takes, but the GOP is split on the issue. Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy sided with the majority of House and Senate Republicans in authorizing a $40 billion package of military and economic aid for Ukraine last summer, but he has since stated that he now supports increased oversight of this aid, rather than a reduction. Despite the Republicans winning a majority in the House, McCarthy still had to negotiate with more than a dozen hardline conservative holdouts to win the speakership vote. One of the concessions struck between McCarthy and this group was a measure that would allow him to be removed as speaker with only five votes. Eleven lawmakers have introduced a resolution seeking to cut off the supply of arms to Ukraine and demanding that Zelensky pursue peace talks with Russia.