Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has congratulated the 57-year-old leader of the Republican Party in the US House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, on his election to the post of House Speaker.
Source: European Pravda
“Congratulations to Kevin McCarthy on his election as the Speaker of the US House of Representatives. US support in all areas has been vital for Ukraine’s success on the battlefield. We’re counting on your continued support and further US assistance to bring our common victory closer,” Zelenskyy wrote on Twitter.
Congratulations to @GOPLeader on his election as the Speaker of 🇺🇸 House of Representatives. U.S. support in all fields has been vital for 🇺🇦’s success on the battlefield. We’re counting on your continued support and further U.S. assistance to bring our common victory closer.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 7, 2023
Kevin McCarthy had previously stated that he favoured continued support for Ukraine in its full-scale war with Russia but has disagreed with issuing what he called a “blank cheque”. Republicans also previously advocated establishing mechanisms for more vigilant supervision of the aid provided to Kyiv – this does not mean aid reduction; however, this could slow it down procedurally.
The Republican majority in the lower house of Congress early on Saturday reached an agreement on the appointment of McCarthy as Speaker, approving his candidacy on the fifteenth vote that lasted four days.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives is the third highest position in the US government and plays an important role in shaping the House agenda, particularly in approving financial aid, which is also important for Ukraine.
Before the Speaker was appointed, the House could not swear in legislators and begin reviewing and passing laws. The last time the Speaker of the US House of Representatives was not elected on the first attempt was in 1923, and the record length of this process reached two months back in 1855.