https://www.wsj.com/articles/desantis-calls-u-s-support-of-ukraine-distraction-from-more-vital-interests-2f3cc0ea
Florida governor joins Donald Trump in expressing reservations about American involvement in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a likely 2024 Republican presidential candidate, said Monday evening the U.S. shouldn’t necessarily help defend Ukraine against Russia’s invasion and instead focus its resources on issues closer to home.
“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,” Mr. DeSantis said in a statement broadcast on “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” on Fox News.
The statement was in response to a questionnaire Mr. Carlson’s show sent to all major prospective GOP presidential candidates.
“We cannot prioritize intervention in an escalating foreign war over the defense of our own homeland, especially as tens of thousands of Americans are dying every year from narcotics smuggled across our open border and our weapons arsenals critical for our own security are rapidly being depleted,” Mr. DeSantis said.
“Of course 2024 MAGA Republicans Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis would use Tucker Carlson’s platform to announce they’d rather side with Vladimir Putin than Ukraine and democracy,’’ said [@Mellodawg], spokesman for the Democratic National Committee. “This is just the latest example of how the race for the MAGA base means 2024 Republicans will take exceedingly extreme positions, even if it undermines our allies and democracy.”
The governor’s statement is an expansion of remarks he made on “Fox & Friends” last month when he argued current U.S. policy in relation to Ukraine has been “effectively a blank check.”
Mr. DeSantis’ statement places him in a position similar to one taken by former President Donald Trump, who called the war “disastrous” during a campaign appearance Monday evening in Davenport, Iowa, and said if re-elected he would work to rapidly negotiate an end.
Both men have taken positions in contrast to strong support for Ukraine offered by other declared and prospective GOP presidential candidates, including former Vice President Mike Pence, former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina.[/i]