Wisconsin’s Ron Johnson joins Elon Musk, other Senators discussing Ukraine, southern border

A Congressional plan to spend $61 billion to help Ukraine battle Russia would waste money on a lost cause, according to Wisconsin Republican Ron Johnson and other U.S. Senators.

Johnson, Elon Musk and two other Senators were discussing the bill to fund Ukraine, over an hour-long X/Twitter livestream. Failed U.S. presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy also took part.

Johnson argued that giving $61 billion to Ukraine would do little to help that country defeat Russia, or achieve peace.

“I’m afraid it’s too late here in the Senate to get through to these 17, 18 Republicans that are joining the Democrats to prolong this war,” Johnson said Monday. “But I think we can get to the House, get them to stop this.”

Johnson and Dens. J.D. Vance of Ohio and Mike Lee of Utah, said sending billions to Ukraine would take away money needed for border security in the U.S.

“It does not actually articulate or force the articulation of a strategy for how to end the conflict to begin with,” Vance said, “so you basically have a blank check or a near-blank check for a strategy that’s completely gone off the rails.”

Lee suggested that passing the bill would not help strengthen the Mexican border, but would “dissolve” the borders.

Musk, who owns Twitter, said prolonging the war does not help Ukraine.

The discussion came shortly before Senators were scheduled to vote on the funding bill.