House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has rejected an invitation from the president of embattled Ukraine to visit the country, saying such a visit would not impact his \u201cno blanks checks\u201d position on Ukrainian aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have to go to Ukraine to understand where there\u2019s a blank check or not,\u201d McCarthy told CNN<\/a> Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The California Republican\u2019s own party is divided over whether to continue supplying aid to Ukraine, and if so, how much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy<\/a> apparently believes that a visit to the impacts of the war first-hand would help push the speaker to support more aid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMr. McCarthy, he has to come here to see how we work, what\u2019s happening here, what war caused us, which people are fighting now, who are fighting now,\u201d Zelenskyy told CNN\u2019s Wolf Blitzer. \u201cAnd then after that, make your assumptions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trending:<\/p>\n\n\n\n WH Press Sec Falsely Claims Conservative ‘Speaker’ Called for the ‘Eradication of Transgender People’<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think that Speaker McCarthy, he never visited Kyiv or Ukraine, and I think it would help him with his position,\u201d Zelenskyy said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n McCarthy, however, reiterated his position: He supports Ukraine, but will not support writing the country a \u201cblank check.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The fact that the spending of all U.S. aid to Ukraine is overseen by the federal government<\/a>, as CNN pointed out, does not seem to mollify the House speaker. (CNN\u2019s Clare Foran provided no details regarding how that spending is overseen, or how effective that oversight might be in a literal war zone.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet\u2019s be very clear about what I said: no blank checks, OK? So, from that perspective, I don\u2019t have to go to Ukraine to understand where there\u2019s a blank check or not,\u201d McCarthy told CNN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI will continue to get my briefings and others, but I don\u2019t have to go to Ukraine or Kyiv to see it,\u201d he added. \u201cAnd my point has always been, I won\u2019t provide a blank check for anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In his interview with Blitzer, Zelenskyy expressed his support for the \u201cbipartisan support of Ukraine\u201d in Congress, calling it \u201cvery important.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, he added: \u201cWe don\u2019t care about the side of the support as long as it\u2019s powerful and constant.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n McCarthy previous told CNN<\/a> that \u201che does not support a resolution from GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida declaring congressional \u2018fatigue\u2019 over supporting Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, he has also said that did not intend to act as a \u201crubber stamp\u201d for Ukrainian aid<\/a> packages requested by the White House.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Related:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Biden Rips Republicans for Not Releasing a Budget Yet: ‘Doesn’t Sound Like They’re on the Level’<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n President Joe Biden visited Ukraine in an unannounced trip<\/a> on Feb. 20 to express solidarity and see for himself the effects of what he called \u201ca brutal and unjust war.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The visit, and Zelenskyy\u2019s newest round of campaigning for greater aid, come as experts expect the war in Ukraine to heat up with new spring offensives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In particular, Zelenskyy has been seeking western fighter jets, which the Biden administration has \u2014 so far \u2014 refused to provide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n