U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) said he supports a proposed funding package from President Joe Biden that includes aid for both Ukraine and Israel during a forum in Indianapolis Monday.
The panelists discussed how U.S. foreign policy impacts Indiana.
The event was hosted by the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit that represents both national security and business interests. The group advocates for increasing the U.S. international affairs budget to support diplomacy.
Young told Liz Schrayer, president and CEO of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, that he believes financial support will help reduce the chance of the U.S. having to become involved militarily in either conflict.
“There are no boots on the ground,” he said. “It is expensive, but what I would argue is more expensive is if you have to put boots on the ground.”
New U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has argued for striking Ukraine aid from the president’s proposed $105 billion spending package.
Young said he supports whatever can eventually pass – either as two separate measures or in the same package.
The panel discussion also underlined the importance of international trade as a way to build “soft power” across the world.
Young nodded towards the importance of exports, particularly those coming from Indiana.
“In the end, governments and individuals tend to be fairly transactionalist,” he said. “We want to make people's geopolitical decisions easier – not ‘oh, we do most of our trade with China and therefore we have to play by China rules.’”
The House is expected to vote on the Israel aid bill on Thursday.
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