Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has blasted Democrat President Joe Biden’s ongoing “blank check” for Ukraine.
DeSantis slammed the Biden administration for sending a never-ending stream of tax dollars to Ukraine without identifying a “clear strategic objective.”
The governor made the remarks during a national tour that some suspect could be a prelude to a 2024 presidential bid.
The comments marked the first time that DeSantis has weighed in extensively on the war in Ukraine.
The Biden admin has helped fund the war with nearly $200 billion in aid so far.
Even as he spoke, Biden was in Kyiv on a surprise visit.
The president traveled to Ukraine to show U.S. support for the country, and promise more tax dollars, as it nears the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
“They have, effectively, a blank-check policy with no clear strategic objective identified,” DeSantis said of the Biden admin during an interview on FNC’s “Fox & Friends.”
DeSantis referred to recent reports from Secretary of State Antony Blinken that China, which has already sent non-lethal military aid to Russia, may be preparing to send weapons.
Tensions between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party are already at a boiling point after China sent a spy balloon floating over the U.S. earlier this month.
“These things can escalate and I don’t think it’s in our interest to be getting into a proxy war with China getting involved over things like the borderlands, or over Crimea,” DeSantis said.
“So I think it would behoove them to identify what is the strategic objective that they’re trying to achieve.
“But just saying it’s an open-ended, blank check, that is not acceptable.”
DeSantis, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2013-2018 before being elected governor of Florida in 2018, said there are legitimate concerns about Russia posing a threat to NATO countries.
However, he said Russia is not the military power it once was.
Estimates vary, but Chairman of the Joints Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley said last November that Russia has lost at least 100,000 soldiers in its grueling war with Ukraine.
“They’ve shown themselves to be a third-rate military power, I think they’ve suffered tremendous, tremendous losses,” he said.
“I’ve got to think the people of Russia are probably disapproving of what’s going on.
“I don’t think they can speak up about it, for obvious reasons.”
The real threat, DeSantis said, is posed by Russia’s erstwhile ally, China.
In addition to flexing on the U.S. in recent weeks and pledging support for Russia, Beijing has also indicated it could invade Taiwan.
Communist China claims Taiwan claims as part of its sovereign territory.
“Russia has been really, really wounded here and I don’t think that they are the same threat to our country – even though they are hostile – I don’t think they’re on the same level as China,” DeSantis said.
WATCH:
DeSantis says U.S. has no "interest" on getting involved in "proxy war," slams "blank checks" from Biden admin to Ukraine.pic.twitter.com/fmYYievPCt
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) February 20, 2023
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