There is growing concern among Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives that Congresswoman Victoria Spartz's stance on the Ukrainian government could hurt U.S.-Ukrainian relations at the worst possible time - and that she is being used by forces seeking to weaken the Western alliance. Politico reports that.
The Republican Party's national security hawks are also concerned that the Trump wing of their party, where it already resists supporting Ukraine, will point to Spartz's comments as justification.
They are concerned that Spartz's public breakup with Zelensky - and her allegations of corruption against his closest aides - could foreshadow future cracks in U.S. support for Ukraine, especially as the midterm elections approach.
"Her naivete is damaging to our own people," said the Republican lawmaker, who is a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and was allowed to remain anonymous to speak candidly about a colleague. The Republican warned that Spartz's comments could "hurt" the war effort.
When asked to comment on Spartz's remarks, one senior House Republican, who remained anonymous for the same reason, responded bluntly, "What the hell."
A third Republican in the House said Spartz has a reputation for making his way into briefings and committee meetings that he is not on, such as a panel from Foreign Affairs, where several members tried to discuss his comments in private.
It has been noted that even the Biden administration has intervened, another sign of growing concern that Spartz's comments could hinder the cohesion of the Western coalition in defense of Kiev. A foreign affairs committee aide said on condition of anonymity that the U.S. intelligence community plans to talk to Spartz about her statements in a classified setting.
"I don't share her criticism," said Senator Lindsey Graham, who has worked with Spartz on legislation related to Ukraine. "I believe that the Zelensky government and the Ukrainian people have proven themselves worthy. It is in the interest of our national security to support the Ukrainian people and their elected leadership," he said.