During a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday, former U.S. Army Green Beret and Republican Congressman Michael Waltz hammered western European countries for their "pathetic" contributions to the defense of Ukraine against Russia's invasion.
“The American people are sick and tired of this. If I had a hundred dollars for every speech that a defense secretary has written in the last twenty years begging our European allies to step up, I would be a very rich man, but they have not. The United States has subsidized European security and social programs for the last twenty years,” Waltz said, mocking stern memos and requests for European countries to do more.
“When does this end? When do they actually get to the point and what are the consequences if they do not?” he continued. “We have been pushing for decades across multiple administrations and sending strongly worded memos over tea and crumpets in Europe and it is not getting the job done.”
Showing a chart during the hearing, Waltz detailed the jarring total of American taxpayer dollars funding the effort compared to Germany and France. He also warned the patience of the American people is wearing thin.
"What I need for you to take away, this continued support is at risk domestically and politically here if we do not see the Administration getting results, not asking forcefully, getting results in terms of this pathetic contribution here," he said.
Since January 2022, the U.S. has sent more than $75 billion in military aid to Ukraine.
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