Kiev: According to Republican Rep. Paul Gosar, US President Joe Biden's visit to Ukraine was "a slap in the face to every American." Biden is currently facing criticism from Republicans for his handling of a catastrophic chemical accident on US soil. He has already come under fire for the hundreds of billions of dollars he gave Kiev.
On a Monday surprise trip to Kiev, Biden informed Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky that his government was preparing a $500 million military aid package for his forces. Since last February, Zelensky has received close to $30 billion in military assistance from the Biden administration, and more than $110 billion has been set aside for ongoing economic and military assistance to Ukraine.
Joe Biden's visit to Ukraine is an insult to all Americans, especially the residents of East Palestine, Ohio, tweeted Gosar. "Neither Russia nor Ukraine are our allies or enemies."
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Gosar has vehemently opposed Biden's support for Ukraine and earlier this month sponsored a resolution that would halt US aid to Kiev. The anti-interventionist "Freedom Caucus" resolution, which has the signatures of 11 members, urges Russia and Ukraine to come to peace.
Republicans from the Freedom Caucus and other groups have criticised Biden for how he handled the chemical spill in East Palestine. This small Ohio town experienced a controlled burn of hazardous chemicals earlier this month after a train carrying vinyl chloride and other chemicals derailed there.
Both a trip to East Palestine and a disaster declaration have not been approved by Biden. Although Biden dispatched officials from the Environmental Protection Agency and Health and Human Services to the scene to declare it safe, residents have complained of alarming physical symptoms as well as dead pets, livestock, and fish. Biden's transportation secretary also blamed the derailment on former President Donald Trump.
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Trent Conway, the mayor of East Palestine, referred to Biden's visit to Kiev as "the biggest slap in the face." "That immediately indicates that he doesn't care about us. He is free to send any agency he desires, but I was outraged to learn this morning that he was in Ukraine distributing millions of dollars to people there rather than to us on Presidents Day in our nation.
