US aid to Ukraine may hinge partly on who takes over as House speaker

FILE PHOTO: Local residents receive water and food aid after floodwaters receded following the collapse of the Nova Kakhovka dam in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict, in the town of Hola Prystan in the Kherson region, Russian-controlled Ukraine, June 17, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Speaker Kevin McCarthy's ouster on Tuesday could signal a shift in the U.S. House of Representatives on aid to Ukraine, with some of his possible successors strongly in favor of assisting Kyiv but others staunchly opposed.

The House voted for the first time on Tuesday to remove its leader, as eight of McCarthy's fellow Republicans voted with 208 Democrats against him. There was no immediate indication of who might succeed McCarthy, but the next speaker could quash more Ukraine aid before a proposal reaches the House floor if that person opposes the idea.