Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) mentioned on Sunday that forcing Ukraine to comply with a useful resource cope with the U.S., in change for the opportunity of assist in opposition to Russia, is akin to “victim extortion.”
The reasonable Republican mentioned Russian President Vladimir Putin, who launched the invasion of Ukraine three years in the past, needs to be the one pressured to pay.
“Putin, and Putin alone, should bear the economic costs of Putin’s illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine,” Fitzpatrick mentioned in a submit on X.
“To drive Ukraine to pay these prices is the epitome of victim-blaming and sufferer extortion.”
The assertion comes as U.S. officers have been pushing a proposal whereby the U.S. would get half of any revenues from Ukraine’s pure sources, in addition to earnings from ports and different infrastructure, in accordance with The New York Occasions. In line with a draft of the deal, the U.S. would acquire till a particular fund reaches $500 billion.
In change, the U.S. would offer long-term assist for Ukraine’s reconstruction. Nevertheless, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been pushing for safety ensures as nicely, and has resisted the phrases being pushed by President Trump.
Nonetheless, the Occasions reported Saturday that Ukraine was severely contemplating a revised model of the deal.
The event comes after per week of escalating tensions between Zelensky and Trump, who has come below fireplace for showing to facet with Putin over Zelensky. Trump has claimed the Ukrainian chief began the battle and referred to as Zelensky a “dictator without elections.” Zelensky mentioned Trump was residing in a “web of disinformation.”
Some U.S. officers have cautioned Zelensky in opposition to frightening Trump. Nationwide safety adviser Mike Waltz mentioned Thursday that Zelensky must “tone it down and take a hard look and sign that deal.”
Fitzpatrick — certainly one of three Home Republicans elected in districts that Vice President Harris received within the 2024 election — mentioned earlier this week that Zelensky should not be pressured to just accept a deal that’s struck by one other nation and that falls wanting his calls for.
“President Volodymyr Zelenskyy need not, and must not, have any deal forced upon him by any outside nation that does not guarantee the security and the sovereignty of the Ukrainian people,” Fitzpatrick wrote in an announcement on social platform X.
Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) on Sunday in contrast the pure sources deal to one thing that is perhaps provided by the mafia.
“It just looks like an episode of ‘The Sopranos,’ right. ‘Give us your minerals or we’re not gonna help you fight a bloody butcher,'” he mentioned. “I mean, is this really what we want the greatest country in history to be known for — for some mafia thing?”
