One year after Russian forces kickstarted the presently unfolding war in Ukraine, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) is again establishing his support for U.S. assistance for the country, which puts him at odds with prominent voices in his party like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).
In comments on his personal Twitter account, Romney tied the U.S. support for Ukraine in the conflict to an ambition of both helping defend freedom, to which the United States is morally committed, and bolstering global defenses against specifically Russian aggression, which could threaten countries in NATO — or others outside of it — as the years continue. “It is in America’s interest to support Ukraine,” Romney said on Thursday. “If Russia can invade, subjugate, and pillage Ukraine with impunity, it will do the same again to others, and a world at war diminishes the security of Americans. An emboldened and expansionist Russia may eventually invade one of our NATO allies, drawing America into war. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has devastated Russia’s military, weakening an adversary. That’s a good thing! And its underwhelming military performance has diminished its global standing.”
Obviously, the direct possibility of a war between the U.S. and Russia is more distant than it was in certain periods of recent history, but that recent history also shows the potential that such a stand-off could emerge. Romney also spoke to the more general implications of the conflict in Ukraine. “The global competition between dictatorship and democracy is center stage in Ukraine,” he added on Twitter. “The world is watching to see whether we have the courage of our convictions. America will not shrink from supporting freedom.”
In the House, Greene and others ideologically aligned with her got behind a resolution opposing the prospect of further U.S. aid to Ukraine, although it wouldn’t even be binding if passed. It doesn’t have a lot of members signed on. Out of obviously hundreds of potentially supporting figures considering simply the size of the House, just ten cosponsors and original sponsor Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) have their names attached. The resolution deceptively ties the U.S. aid, at least distantly, to civilian deaths in Ukraine, although it’s not the Ukrainian soldiers — using U.S. weapons — who are keeping the conflict going. If anything, the U.S. weapons could be better argued to have helped keep civilian casualties lower, since they’ve meant Ukraine could launch a more effective defense.
It is in America’s interest to support Ukraine. If Russia can invade, subjugate, and pillage Ukraine with impunity, it will do the same again to others, and a world at war diminishes the security of Americans.
— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) February 23, 2023
Image: Gage Skidmore/ Creative Commons
