Democrat leader Jeffries: "Pro-Putin faction" in GOP delayed Ukraine aid

60 minutes overtime this was given to me by Ted Lou this week for 60 minutes we sat down with Democratic Congressman Hakeem Jeff he's the House minority leader he's also the successor to Nancy Pelosi and the first black lawmaker to lead a party in Congress one of jeffy's priorities has been providing military and humanitarian Aid to Ukraine and in our conversation we asked leader Jeff about the debate over American Financial support for the war torn country he told us the impact of Russia's aggression goes far beyond a regional conflict we can't let Ukraine fall because if it does then there's a significant likelihood that America will have to get into the conflict not simply with our money but with our service women and our servicemen we can either stop Russia in Ukraine by continuing our military and economic support or we can face a challenging situation where Vladimir Putin and Russia are able to overrun Ukraine and then threaten NATO allies no doubt that that's Putin's goal we have no doubt that if Vladimir Putin is successful in Ukraine he won't stop Vladimir Putin went into Georgia but said it was only about Georgia but he didn't stop in Georgia then he went into Crimea but then it turns out that it wasn't only about Crimea because he invaded the entirety of Ukraine are we to believe that in the face of this kind of consistent aggression that he's only going to stop in Ukraine of course not let's not believe his words let's believe his deeds and his deeds suggests that he wants to recreate the Soviet Union and that means threatening NATO allies which as a logical consequence will bring American troops in to the fight on this vote the A's are 311 and the Nays are 112 the bill is passed in April Congress approved a long-awaited bill to provide 61 billion dollar for Ukraine it's the first major Aid package since December 2022 and it came after months of fighting and Deadlock in Congress driven by Republicans who are divided over foreign aid to Ukraine all 210 Democrats in the house voted in favor of the bill we asked Jeff what took so long there is a growing protin faction in the Republic Republican party that does not want to support Ukraine and believes for some reason that Russia is not an enemy of the United States of America I'm not the only one saying it there are Republican committee chairs like the Republican chair of the Foreign Affairs committee and the Republican chair of the intelligence committee who are acknowledging that there's a protin faction within the Republican Party in the House of Representatives and they have been the obstacle to stop assistance to Ukraine and in doing so are undermining America's national security interests that's a serious charge to suggest that Americans members of Congress lawmakers are doing Vladimir Putin's bidding there are Pro Putin Republicans LED in the Congress by Marjorie Taylor green just check the record that's the reality of who she is what she said and her belief system Braun bud haery in the Senate 15 Republicans voted against the bill that included more aid for Ukraine including the junior senator from Ohio Vance Republican senator JD Vance of Ohio just wrote an oped that's basically saying Ukraine is outmanned outgunned and can never win this war and that the US should directly start negotiating its end with Russia your response the argument that some of the magga extremists are making which is that the Ukrainian war effort has been a failure is inconsistent with the fact we were told in February of 2022 that if Russia invades Ukraine Ukraine is going to fall in a week and there would be Russian troops in Kei that's what we were told more than two years later at least half of the Russian military as it existed in February of 2022 is gone which is why Putin has had to rely on convicts and conscripts a significant portion of the Russian Navy in the Black Sea has been wiped out this has been a strategic success by any definition and so those that want to convince the American people that the Ukrainian effort has been a failure are promoting Vladimir Putin's propaganda because the facts say the exact opposite which is why it's important for us to finish the job it's a Church Hill or Chamberlain moment

Channel: 60 Minutes

Views: 42,735

Keywords: 60 Minutes, CBS News

Id: dI1foIRt8Yw

Length: 6min 16sec (376 seconds)

Published: Sun May 05 2024