Kevin McCarthy 'agreed to cut aid to Ukraine' to secure US speaker role

Kevin McCarthy reportedly agreed to spending caps that would limit future aid to Ukraine as part of the deal with ultraconservatives that enabled him to finally be elected as House speaker on Saturday.

Mr McCarthy, a Republican, secured the position in the early hours, following a historic five-day 15-vote fight that brought Washington to a standstill.

His Right-wing opponents from the chamber's Freedom Caucus, dubbed the “Taliban 20”, wielded their opposition to US aid for Kyiv as part of their justification for voting against him in the first 14 votes.

Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida, one of the most hardline aid sceptics, led the charge against Mr McCarthy’s candidacy for speaker before eventually yielding after an extraordinary confrontation in the chamber.