Far-right U.S. senators demand special meeting ahead of crucial Ukraine funding vote

A group of seventeen senators led by U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), among them some of the most hardline, far-right Republicans, have joined together in calling for a special conference meeting on Ukraine funding ahead of a vote that could come as soon as next week.

The move comes as Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is aligning with Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and, effectively, President Joe Biden, in calling for House and Senate Republicans to accept a border deal crafted by U.S. Sen. James Lankford (R-OK).

House Republicans have tied any funding support for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan to HR2 a bill that has little to no chance of passing in the Senate. It is opposed by immigration advocates, the Biden White House, Senate Democrats and some Senate Republicans, and other groups including Catholic Bishops.

Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman was first to report the demand for the meeting, posting the letter (below) signed by Republican U.S. Senators Ron Johnson, Mike Lee, Rick Scott, Mike Braun, John Cornyn, Marsha Blackburn, Josh Hawley, Ted Cruz, Roger Marshall, Eric Schmitt, Tommy Tuberville, Cynthia Lummis, Bill Hagerty, Marco Rubio, James Risch, J.D. Vance, and Ted Budd.

The letter calls for the special conference meeting on Ukraine funding to come next week. Punchbowl News' Andrew Desiderio reports that meeting will take place next Wednesday, according to Punchbowl's Andrew Desiderio.

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Pointing to that letter, Desiderio writes, "Of note — not all of these signatories are opposed to Ukraine funding. But most of them are."

The letter also came while the top four House and Senate leaders were meeting with President Joe Biden. The Republican Speaker, Mike Johnson, quickly announced at the end of that meeting that nothing has changed.

"Johnson's remarks show a continued hardline position on tying Ukraine funding to border restrictions," Politico reports. "He also said he was not wedded strictly to the name of any bill being attached, a nod to the fact that many House Republicans want the deal to closely mimic the conservative border bill H.R. 2, but said the elements in any deal 'have to be meaningful.'"

See the letter below or at this link.