DeSantis backs away from Ukraine, upsets some GOP colleagues

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has upset some of his Republican colleagues by stating that defending Ukraine from Russia is not in the best interests of The United States.

DeSantis and Trump make up the vast majority of Republican support in terms of who will run for President in 2024, and both candidates are united on this issue.

“While the US has many vital national interests — securing our borders, addressing the crisis of readiness with 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 said in a statement provided to “Tucker Carlson Tonight” on Fox News.

“DeSantis is wrong and seems to have forgotten the lessons of Ronald Reagan,” said former Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming.

“This is not ‘a territorial dispute,’” Cheney said. “The Ukrainian people are fighting for their freedom. Surrendering to Putin and refusing to defend freedom makes America less safe.”

Cheney went on to say that “Weakness is provocative and American officials who advocate this type of weakness are Putin’s greatest weapon. Abandoning Ukraine would make broader conflict, including with China and other American adversaries, more likely.”

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said he “could not disagree more” with DeSantis.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio also took aim at DeSantis by saying “I don’t know what he’s trying to do or what the goal is.”

Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) said he was “disturbed” by DeSantis’s comments.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said De Santis’s comments were “a naïve and complete misunderstanding of the historical context of what’s going on.”

Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley answered “Yes” when asked whether it was in the interests of The United States to help Ukraine.

“America is far better off with a Ukrainian victory than a Russian victory, including avoiding a wider war,” Haley said. “If Russia wins, there is no reason to believe it will stop in Ukraine.”