House Speaker Kevin McCarthy declines Ukrainian President Zelensky's invite to visit Ukraine

WASHINGTON – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky invited House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to visit Ukraine but the Republican leader declined the invite, CNN reported Wednesday.

The invitation follows disputes among GOP lawmakers about whether to send more aid to Ukraine.

Zelensky told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that McCarthy should travel to the country to see the impact of Russia's invasion.

“I think that Speaker McCarthy, he never visited Kyiv or Ukraine, and I think it would help him with his position,” he said.

But McCarthy told CNN he has no plans to visit the country. He also said that President Joe Biden has not moved fast enough to provide aid to the country, CNN reported.  McCarthy, the top Republican in the House, said in November the GOP would not hand Ukraine a "blank check," signaling the Republican party's reluctance to continue funding the war against Russia.

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Republicans have demanded more oversight for Ukrainian aid, calling for more transparency regarding security assistance sent to the country.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukranian President Zelensky invites House Speaker McCarthy to Ukraine