The Republican Party is divided on whether the US should continue to support Ukraine in its war with Russia, and this week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made it clear he’s aligned with those who are wary about continuing to provide aid.
“While the U.S. has many vital national interests — securing our borders, addressing the crisis of readiness within our military, achieving energy security and independence, and checking the economic, cultural, and military power of the Chinese Communist Party — becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia is not one of them,” DeSantis, who’s widely expected to run for president, wrote in answer to a questionnaire Fox News host Tucker Carlson sent to GOP presidential hopefuls. Carlson read DeSantis’s reply on air, and later shared it on Twitter.
DeSantis’s comments highlight a growing rift in the Republican Party on this subject. His stance echoes that of former President Donald Trump, who has called for Russia and Ukraine “to make a deal” and argued, “death and destruction must end now.” Far-right members of the House have also called for the US to wind down its aid to Ukraine, which has topped $113 billion. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has said he believes the US is spending too much with too few guardrails.
Other prominent Republicans, like Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell; former Vice President Mike Pence, who’s also expected to run for president in 2024; and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who’s already declared her candidacy, have stressed the need to support Ukraine and said that the Biden administration isn’t doing enough.
This issue could become a prominent fault line in the 2024 Republican primaries, with aid to Ukraine potentially less than guaranteed if a GOP administration were to take over. It also reflects a growing split in the GOP’s base — one both current and potential presidential candidates are eager to capitalize on.
What the…
Read the full article here
