Ukrainian official singles out Rand Paul for holding up security package that would 'save lives'

On Friday, Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian minister of foreign affairs, took to Twitter to single out Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) as the cause of delay for a $40 billion aid package to assist his country against the Russian invasion.

"We could have already started using the U.S. assistance package to more effectively save lives of Ukrainians who defend the democratic world," wrote Kuleba, noting that President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, and senators from both parties are all in favor of the assistance.

Paul alone, he wrote, has "delayed so much needed support."

The Ukrainian package, which provides both military and humanitarian aid along with $5 billion to address global food shortages caused by the disruption of Ukrainian agriculture, passed the House with broad bipartisan support, with only a handful of Republicans like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) opposing the deal.

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In the Senate, however, a single senator can prevent unanimous consent to pass a bill, forcing it to go through a longer process to achieve passage.

Paul has been accused by experts of echoing Kremlin propaganda in his description of the invasion going on in Ukraine, including his suggestion that Russia is justified in acting to prevent the expansion of the NATO alliance and the territory Russia is invading is historically "part of Russia."