Ukraine will "never repay" $60 billion to the United States if the finances are provided to Kiev in the form of a loan, US journalist Tucker Carlson said.

The former Fox News presenter slammed Republican Senator Lindsey Graham for attempts to convince fellow party members to loan "Zelensky $60 billion, rather than give it to him."

This comes against the backdrop of a stalled large military aid package proposed by the Biden administration, which had recently been passed by the US Senate. 

Carlson has been an avid critic of Graham and others, voicing his disapproval of their roles in fueling global conflicts. He also recently visited Moscow, where he conducted an interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The purpose behind Carlson's visit and interview was to present an alternative perspective, aiming to reach Americans who may have been intentionally kept in the dark about the complexities of the conflict with Kiev. 

F***ing lunatics

The journalist called Graham's lobbying "fraudulent", adding that Ukraine would "never repay the debt" and that US authorities will never force them into repaying.

"This is just a more dishonest way to send more unaccounted for weapons to the region, delay the inevitable peace deal and kill more forcibly-conscripted Ukrainians, some of whom are nearly Lindsey Graham’s age. It’d be easier to take if he’d join them on the battlefield," Carlson posted on X.

Lindsey Graham’s latest scheme is convincing Republicans that it’s somehow better to loan Zelensky $60 billion, rather than give it to him. Some are falling for this. But it’s fraudulent. Ukraine will never repay the debt, and we’ll never make them. This is just a more dishonest…

— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) February 16, 2024

Graham has been widely associated with US warmongers, as he has been one of the most staunch supporters of US military action abroad. In late January, the lawmaker called on the US military to bomb Iran, following a strike that targeted a US base near the Joradanian-Syrian border.

In response, Carlson posted a screenshot of Graham and Senator John Cornyn's posts, in which they on the US to bomb Iran and its capital. The American journalist said the two were "F***ing lunatics".

Read more: Key points from Tucker Carlson's interview with Putin

Details of the proposed bill

Earlier on Wednesday, the US Senate granted final authorization to a $95 billion wartime "assistance" package for Ukraine, "Israel", and Taiwan in the early hours of Tuesday. The bill is now set to head to the Republican-held House, where its future remains uncertain.

The proposed national security supplemental legislation encompasses a total funding of $118.3 billion. This includes $60 billion to support Ukraine, aligning with the White House's request, and $14.1 billion in security assistance designated for "Israel", as outlined by a summary provided by Senate Appropriations Committee chair Patty Murray.

According to the summary, $4 billion will be designated to bolster "Israel's" anti-air capabilities and $1.2 billion for the occupation entity's Iron Beam procurement.

Additionally, the deal encompasses $20.2 billion earmarked for US border security -- including $2.44 billion to support the operations in the Central Command area and replace combat expenditures for weapons in the Red Sea -- accompanied by a variety of immigration policy changes agreed upon by both Democratic and Republican negotiators.

The bipartisan agreement also proposes "$2.58 billion to bolster US and allied capabilities in the Indo-Pacific and deter China." Of the $2.5 billion, some $1.9 billion would be used to invest in the US industrial base to replenish US weapons provided to Taiwan.

Read more: Putin says he regrets not starting operation in Ukraine earlier