Psaki shames Tom Cotton for calling Biden weak on Ukraine but also voting down aid

‘He and his fellow Senate Republicans voted against that money’

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki crticised a group of Republicans – including Senator Tom Cotton – who have called for US military aid to be sent to Ukraine despite voting against a funding bill intended to accomplish that goal.

On Twitter, Mr Cotton called for "no more timidity and half measures," saying it was "time to send Ukraine the weapons they needed to end this invasion."

"@TomCottonAR had a chance last week to back his words with actions by voting for the security assistance for Ukraine that the President announced yesterday. He and his fellow Senate Republicans voted against that money," Ms Psaki said in response.

She also pointed out that 31 Republicans voted against a $1.5 trillion funding bill, which included $13.6bn in humanitarian and defence assistance for Ukraine.

The money includes funds for 800 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, 9,000 anti-tank weapons and 7,000 small arms as well as 20 million rounds of ammunition.

"Our assistance is making a difference on the ground, and the President is delivering more," Ms Psaki added.

The Republicans who voted against the bill said they opposed it because the Ukrainian aid was tied to broader government spending items that would worsen inflation.

"The aid was <1% of an inflation-busting $1.5 trillion budget," he tweeted in response to Ms Psaki.

Republicans have tried to use the war as a bludgeon against Democrats, complaining both that Joe Biden's administration has been too slow to help the nation in its fight against Russia and also the cause of the invasion.

“This war didn’t have to happen — the most significant war in Europe since 1945, since the end of World War II,” Senator Ted Cruz said, blaming the invasion on Mr Biden's White House.

GOP Senator John Kennedy pointed to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan – a plan originally initiated by former President Donald Trump, but one which he ultimately failed to execute – as emboldening Russia. He further noted that Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 under the Barack Obama administration, when Mr Biden was acting as vice president.

Democrats have fired back at Republicans, arguing that Republicans up in arms over Ukraine should recall that the de-facto leader of their party, Mr Trump, threatened to withhold military aid to the country until the country provided dirt on the Biden family. That scandal ended with Mr Trump's first impeachment.