Topline
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said this week that the U.S.’s involvement in Ukraine’s war with Russia was not one of “vital national interests”—comments that exposed a division in the GOP between members on the far-right who oppose aid to Ukraine and establishment Republicans who spoke out against the governor’s comments.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks to Iowa voters gathered at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on March 10, … [+]
Key Facts
DeSantis made the comments in a questionnaire from Fox News host Tucker Carlson, calling the war a “territorial dispute.”
DeSantis’ opposition to U.S. aid for Ukraine aligns with former President Donald Trump’s stance, along with right-wing GOP members, including Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.) and Matt Gaetz (Fla.), but puts him at odds with a coalition of Senate Republicans who widely criticized the governor’s remarks.
Trump, who broke precedent in his embrace of Russian President Vladimir Putin during his time in office, has also trivialized the conflict, telling an audience at the Conservative Political Action Conference earlier this month that he would end the war in “one day,” noting, “I got along very well with Putin.”
Greene has struck an even more alarmist tone on the war: she recently claimed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “wants our sons and daughters to go die in Ukraine” and introduced a resolution calling for an audit of U.S. aid to Ukraine.
Rep. Matt Gaetz also introduced a “Ukraine Fatigue” resolution earlier this year, co-sponsored by 10 other far-right members, that calls for the U.S. to “end its military and financial aid to Ukraine.”
Establishment Republicans issued a stern rebuke of DeSantis’ response to Carlson: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) warned that the U.S.’s involvement is not only aimed at helping Ukraine, but also stopping Putin from engaging in warmongering that extends outside of Ukraine, he told CNN, while Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told ABC DeSantis’ stance “raises questions” about his understanding of the conflict.
Big Number
62%. That’s the percentage of registered Republicans in a Gallup poll released Monday who said the war is a critical threat to U.S. interests, according to the survey of 1,008 adults (margin of error 4). Previous polls suggest Americans’ support for the U.S.’s involvement in the war is waning, however. In a February poll by the Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, 48% of the 1,068 adults surveyed (margin of error 4.2) said they supported the U.S. sending weapons to Ukraine, down from 60% in May 2022.
Key Background
The U.S. has spent more than $113 billion aiding Ukraine amid its war with Russia that began a little more than a year ago, including about $67 billion on military aid and $46 billion to support the Ukrainian government, economy and refugee resettlements, according to the nonpartisan nonprofit Committee for a Responsible Budget. Approximately 8,000 Ukrainian citizens have died in the war, plus an estimated 100,000 members of the military. Ahead of the one-year anniversary of the crisis last month, Biden made an unannounced visit to Kyiv, where he delivered a speech vowing that “Ukraine will never be a victory for Russia.” The U.S. and its G-7 partners also announced new sanctions targeting Russia’s economy. Separately, the Biden Administration unveiled a new $2 billion military assistance package and another $10 billion in aid for the Ukrainian government and infrastructure.
Tangent
The far-right narrative on Ukraine came into sharp focus in a debate over the Biden Administration’s response to the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, in early February. GOP lawmakers, including East Palestine Mayor Trent Conaway, Greene, Sens. Josh Hawley (Miss.) and Eric Schmitt (Mo.), criticized Biden for visiting Ukraine instead of East Palestine. Trump also played into the controversy during his own visit to East Palestine, where he told supporters the federal government’s response was a “betrayal,” adding that he hoped Biden had “some money left over” when he returned from Ukraine.
Further Reading
Biden Makes Surprise Visit To Kyiv Nearly A Year Into Russia’s Invasion (Forbes)
Biden Administration Unveils $10 Billion Ukraine Aid Package As War Enters 2nd Year (Forbes)
Marjorie Taylor Greene Ramps Up Anti-Ukraine Rhetoric: Zelensky ‘Wants Our Sons And Daughters To Go Die’ (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/03/16/gops-anti-ukraine-funding-faction-what-desantis-trump-greene-and-other-far-right-republicans-say-about-the-war/