Senate Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell explained why it is in the United States' interest to assist Ukraine in its struggle against Russia's aggression amid reduced support for Kyiv from his own party.
He made these remarks during a virtual forum called "Winning the War. Winning the Peace," organized by CEPA (the Center for European Policy Analysis), as reported by Voice of America.
According to McConnell, if Russian President Vladimir Putin wins the war, the next target will be a NATO country. Therefore, he believes it is much wiser to halt this invasion, and the only ones ready to take part in it are the Ukrainians themselves.
"We're up against China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. That alone tells you you're on the right side. Second, we haven't lost a single American soldier. Ukrainians are fighting it out themselves. As for our GDP, it's really a small fraction that we're providing for these efforts in Ukraine," McConnell emphasized.
He noted that when the U.S. sends weapons and ammunition to Ukraine, they are replacing many of their assets with more modern, advanced equipment, adding that Washington should be rebuilding its industrial base regardless of the war in Ukraine due to increased competition from Russia and China.
In his view, the reason for declining support among Republicans is the opposition from former President Donald Trump, which he described as bad news. However, McConnell noted that the good news is that Congressional leadership and the leaders of the Armed Services, Foreign Relations, and Budget Committees are in the camp supporting Ukraine.
"I think the American people are somewhat misled. I don't think they understand the facts. Ukrainians are showing tremendous bravery and courage, and I think it's inspiring to the rest of the world that chooses its leaders and doesn't have autocrats imposed upon them," McConnell added.
"There are some Americans who say, 'That's far away from the Far East, and that's where our real concerns are.' But the Prime Minister of Japan said, 'If you want to send a message to President Xi, beat Putin in Ukraine.' South Koreans are concerned, Filipinos are concerned, Australians are concerned. So, it really has a huge impact on Asia and the future of Taiwan," explained the Senate Republican leader.
