Rick Scott says Ukraine aid has limits

Rick Scott clarifies why he is resistant to vote on hurricane aid.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott is suggesting a more critical eye needs to be cast on aid for Ukraine in its war with Russia, just hours before its Prime Minister meets President Joe Biden and addresses Congress.

Scott, who was an early proponent of Ukraine support, still wants to offer it, but with more scrutiny and accountability and with a direct goal of defeating Russia and avoiding perpetual war.

“We’ve got to watch how we spend our money. Because it’s your money. We’ve got to be efficient. We’ve got to know exactly where it goes and it needs to be — if we’re going to spend money, it needs to be lethal. And it’s going to be to defeat Russia, not just placating, ‘let’s keep this going forever,'” Scott said Wednesday during an interview with a Gainesville radio station.

The Associated Press reports Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelenskyy is expected to address Congress as it considers a year-end spending package with $45 billion in aid for Ukraine, the biggest spend yet, and one in the wake of another expected expenditure of $1.8 billion in aid that includes advanced weapons. Scott opposes that package for reasons that extend beyond Ukraine.

Throughout the conflict, Scott has warned that the Russian invasion of Ukraine could translate into wider war, concerns he also expressed Wednesday.

“Here’s the way I look at it. I’m very appreciative that the Ukrainians are willing to fight for their freedom. I am,” Scott added. “I don’t want to be at war with Russia. I don’t want Vladimir Putin to invade Poland and then we’re — they’re a member of NATO, and we’re at war. I don’t want any of those things.”

Scott addressed the Ukraine question later Tuesday, making the same points on the “Clay and Buck” show. He said Ukraine was not a top priority for Americans right now.

“It’s not the most important thing that we should be doing,” Scott said.

But it seems he’s moved back from statements in the past that offered carte blanche to the effort without newfound calls for more accountability.

“We need to provide the Ukrainian people with every resource, including planes,” Scott said during a March episode of CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

“We should not say we’re not going to do something. Say, ‘Look, everything is on the table. We’re going to figure this out every day.’”

“Another thing that we have to do is we have to give every lethal weapon we can to Ukraine so they can defend their freedom,” Scott said in April to WOKV. “Because if they don’t stop Putin, then Putin’s going to be next in Poland, Lithuania and places like that where we’re going to be in there defending them.”