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Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy addressed Congress on Wednesday and got multiple standing ovations.
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Reps. Lauren Boebert and Matt Gaetz were seen seated and on their phones through one of them.
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Both are vocal opponents of US military aid for Ukraine, and want to block future payments.
Reps. Lauren Boebert and Matt Gaetz stayed seated and did not applause as other lawmakers gave a standing ovation for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy when he addressed Congress.
Zelenskyy spoke to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday. It marked his first visit outside Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began in February.
While Boebert and Gaetz attended, neither MAGA Republican seemed impressed.
In his speech, Zelenskyy declared “Ukraine is alive and kicking” and touted the strength of the US-Ukraine alliance.
He also implored the US, Ukraine’s biggest military backer, to continue sending aid to help its military oppose Russia.
He was given standing ovations at multiple points in the speech. The cameras captured Gaetz and Boebert remaining seated for one about 38 minutes into the speech.
The applause was for after Zelenskyy described the burgeoning military alliance between Russia and Iran, and called for Iran to be stopped before it attacked other US allies.
Watch the moment here:
Boebert doesn’t seem too interested in the speech pic.twitter.com/grOEaxwtZd
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 22, 2022
Other Republicans, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, were seen standing to clap for Zelenskyy at other points of his speech.
Gaetz and Boebert were seen standing alongside other members of Congress at another point in the speech. It is not clear if they clapped.
Both Gaetz and Boebert have strongly criticized the US spending money on military equipment for Ukraine, and on Wednesday repeated their belief that such aid should be stopped.
Boebert said on Twitter after Zelenskyy’s speech that she wants a “full audit” of US aid spending before she would support more money being sent.
Gaetz on Twitter praised Zelenskyy’s work for his citizens but said that it was wrong for American politicians to be “hemorrhaging billions of dollars while our country is in crisis.” He said Zelenskyy’s speech did not change his mind.
Gaetz was one of 10 Republicans who voted in April against a bill that would make it easier for the US to send military equipment to Ukraine.
The US is making efforts to monitor how its contributions to Ukraine are used. The Pentagon is already monitoring the US weapons and contracts given to Ukraine for signs of fraud.
It also sent weapons experts to Ukraine to inspect the equipment in person. Officials have said they do not see evidence of aid being misused, though they also warned that it is difficult to keep close track of all equipment used in a war zone.
Boebert and Gaetz have been in a small minority of Ukraine-aid skeptics since the war broke out. But the new Congress may bring a shift in January, as control of the House shifts to the GOP.
Republican Congressional leaders have pledged to increase oversight of aid to Ukraine, and many lawmakers like Boebert and Gaetz have said they will keep up the pressure.
Biden has repeatedly said that the US will keep supporting Ukraine.
Most recently he told Zelenskyy on Wednesday that he would support Ukraine “as long as it takes.”
Zelenskyy told Congress on Wednesday of the spending: “Your money is not charity. It’s an investment in the global security and democracy that we handle in the most responsible way.”
The Independent also reported that Boebert and Gaetz skipped a security screening when going to hear Zelenskyy’s speech.
Read the original article on Business Insider
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