Mitch McConnell insists over $60 BILLION taxpayer dollars for Ukraine is 'not a whole lot' of money for the US to shell out but it's 'significant' to provide sophisticated weapons

GOP Leader Mitch McConnell insisted that the $60 billion the U.S. is readying to send to Ukraine is 'not a whole lot' for the U.S. but will prove a 'significant' benefit in the battle against Vladimir Putin. 

The Senate passed Ukraine funding as part of a $95 billion foreign aid package on Tuesday night. 

Pushing through support for Ukraine has become the capstone of McConnell's 15 years in Senate GOP leadership. Pushing back on his own party's isolationist trend has made for a legacy-defining moment. 

The Kentucky Republican told Fox News he 'hopes' the money will be enough to push Russia back 'decisively.' 

Pushing through support for Ukraine has become the capstone of McConnell's 15 years in Senate GOP leadership. Pushing back on his own party's isolationist trend has made for a legacy-defining moment

'It's not a whole lot of money for us,' McConnell said, noting the $60 billion is around 0.2 percent of the US GDP. 'But it's a very significant step for them because it gives them the more sophisticated weapons.'

McConnell will step down as leader of the Senate Republicans at the end of this Congress. He'll stay on as a rank-and-file senator until the end of his term in 2027. 

The package that passed 79-18 ties together $60 billion for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel and Gaza and around $4 billion for the Indo-Pacific - and a measure that could see TikTok banned in the U.S. 

The typically stoic Senate leader left no holds barred in a press conference Tuesday, blaming Tucker Carlson for an anti-Ukraine sentiment taking hold among Republicans. 

Carlson 'who, in my opinion, ended up where he should have been all along, which is interviewing Vladimir Putin,' McConnell said, had convinced 'a lot of rank and file Republicans' that helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia is not important.

The Ukraine bill includes $23 billion for replenishing U.S. stockpiles that have been depleted for the fight in Russia.

Some $11 billion would go to U.S. military operations in the region and $14 billion would go to procuring advanced weapons systems. 

U.S. aid to Ukraine will go out after President Biden signs a $95 billion foreign aid package 

In this photo provided by the Mayor of Odesa Hennadii Trukhanov in Telegram, firefighters work on the site of a burning building after a Russian drone attack in Odesa, Ukraine, Tuesday, April 23

Another $26 million would go to oversight and accountability of equipment given to Ukraine.

Two separate economic assistance funds worth $7.85 billion and $1.58 billion would also be offered to Ukraine under a loan structure. 

 'Make no mistake: delay in providing Ukraine the weapons to defend itself has strained the prospects of defeating Russian aggression. Dithering and hesitation have compounded the challenges we face,' McConnell said ahead of the vote.

'I will not mince words when members of my own party take the responsibilities of American leadership lightly.'

The Israel security bill will offer $4 billion to replenish Israel's Iron Dome Missile Defense system and billions more for weapons systems, artillery and munitions, as well as an additional $2.4 billion for U.S. operations in the region.

Nine billion dollars in that bill goes to humanitarian relief for Palestinians in Gaza.