Topics in the News: Ukraine
Joe Biden on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Mar 1, 2022)
Make dictators pay a price; American resolve matters
Russia's Vladimir Putin badly miscalculated. He thought he could roll into Ukraine and the world would roll over. Instead he met a wall of strength he never imagined. He met the Ukrainian people. From President Zelenskyy to every Ukrainian,
their fearlessness, their courage, their determination, inspires the world. Groups of citizens blocking tanks with their bodies. Everyone from students to retirees teachers turned soldiers defending their homeland.
Let each of us here tonight in this
Chamber send an unmistakable signal to Ukraine and to the world. Throughout our history we've learned this lesson when dictators do not pay a price for their aggression they cause more chaos. They keep moving. And the costs and the threats to
America and the world keep rising.
That's why the NATO Alliance was created to secure peace and stability in Europe after World War 2. It matters. American diplomacy matters. American resolve matters.
Click for Joe Biden on other issues.
Source: 2022 State of the Union address
Joe Biden on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Mar 1, 2022)
Military & humanitarian assistance, but no troops to Ukraine
Along with 27 members of the European Union, we are inflicting pain on Russia and supporting the people of Ukraine. Putin is now isolated from the world more than ever.Together with our allies--we are right now enforcing powerful economic sanctions.
The U.S. Department of Justice is assembling a dedicated task force to go after the crimes of Russian oligarchs.
Together with our allies we are providing support to the Ukrainians in their fight for freedom. Military assistance. Economic assistance.
Humanitarian assistance. We are giving more than $1 Billion in direct assistance to Ukraine.
Let me be clear, our forces are not engaged and will not engage in conflict with Russian forces in Ukraine.
As I have made crystal clear the United States and our Allies will defend every inch of territory of NATO countries with the full force of our collective power.
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Source: 2022 State of the Union address
Xi Jinping on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Feb 27, 2022)
Humanitarian corridors for those fleeing war
Pope Francis appealed again today for an end to the war in Ukraine, for "the silencing of the guns" and the opening of humanitarian corridors to those fleeing the war. "God is with those who work for peace, not with those who use violence," he said.
The pope also mentioned the innocent victims of the conflict in Ukraine. "I am thinking of the old people, of the mothers fleeing with their children," he said. "They are brothers and sisters for whom it is urgent to open humanitarian corridors, and to
give them welcome." Poland has given refuge to some 150,000 Ukrainians, while Romania, Moldova and Slovakia had also welcomed many refugees.
Pope Francis said that while our "heart is torn for what is happening in Ukraine,
let us not forget what is happening also in other parts of the world--in Yemen, in Syria, in Ethiopia." He called again for an end to the fighting in Ukraine and these countries: "I repeat, let the guns be silenced."
Click for Xi Jinping on other issues.
Source: America Magazine on Ukraine-Russia war
Xi Jinping on Ukraine:
(Homeland Security Feb 25, 2022)
Cold War mindsets should be abandoned
Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Russia to negotiate with Ukraine in his first phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin since Moscow attacked its neighbour. Xi told Putin that "cold war mindsets"
should be abandoned and the security concerns of different nations should be respected.He also said conditions in Ukraine had changed drastically. "China supports
Russia negotiating with Ukraine to resolve the problem,"
Xi was quoted as saying. "China's basic position on respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and abiding by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter is consistent."
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Source: South China Morning Post on Ukraine-Russia war
Xi Jinping on Ukraine:
(Homeland Security Feb 25, 2022)
US ignored Russia's bottom line to keep Ukraine out of NATO
Putin said the United States and NATO had long ignored Russia's reasonable security concerns [about keeping Ukraine out of NATO] and repeatedly reneged on their commitments. He said the US and NATO had challenged Russia's strategic bottom line by
advancing deployments. China's assessment of the crisis is being watched closely, with Beijing in a quasi alliance with Moscow and both nations in an increasingly intense stand-off with Washington.
Xi and Putin met most recently in February on the sidelines of the Beijing Winter Olympics.
After the meeting, both nations said they opposed the expansion of NATO, describing it as a cold war approach to international affairs.
The two nations said no state should ensure its security "at the expense of the security of other states".
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Source: South China Morning Post on Ukraine-Russia war
Kamala Harris on Ukraine:
(Homeland Security Feb 19, 2022)
Target Russian finances to oppose Ukraine invasion
Vice President Kamala Harris told the Munich Security Conference that the Western alliance faced a "defining moment" in the Ukraine crisis and warned Russia's leaders that if they invaded Ukraine, the US and its allies would target not only financial
institutions and technology exports to Russia, but also "those who are complicit and those who aid and direct this unprovoked invasion.""This playbook is all too familiar to us all," she said of the events unfolding near Ukraine's borders. "Russia
will plead ignorance and innocence. It will create false pretexts for invasion, and it will amass troop and firepower in plain sight."
Ms. Harris argued in her speech that the crisis had driven NATO allies together. "As President Biden has said, our
forces will not be deployed to fight inside Ukraine," she said, touching on--but not exploring--the decision to leave the fighting to Ukraine's own military. "But they will defend every inch of NATO territory."
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Source: New York Times on 2024 Presidential Hopefuls
Bernie Sanders on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Feb 8, 2022)
Russia has been clear about keeping Ukraine out of NATO
Russia sees the threat of Ukraine joining the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO), a military alliance originally created in 1949 to confront the Soviet Union. It is good to know some history. When Ukraine became independent after the Soviet Union
collapsed in 1991, Russian leaders made clear their concerns about the prospect of former Soviet states becoming part of NATO and positioning hostile military forces along Russia's border. US leaders recognized these concerns as legitimate at the time.
They are still legitimate concerns. Invasion by Russia is not an answer; neither is intransigence by NATO. It is also important to recognize that Finland, one of the most developed and democratic countries in the world, borders Russia and has chosen not
to be a member of NATO.Putin may be a liar and a demagogue, but it is hypocritical for the US to insist that we do not accept the principle of "spheres of influence" [which Putin claims as the rationale for keeping Ukraine out of NATO].
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Source: The Guardian on 2024 Presidential Hopefuls
Bernie Sanders on Ukraine:
(Homeland Security Feb 8, 2022)
Cuba is in US sphere of influence; Ukraine is in Russia's
Putin may be a liar and a demagogue, but it is hypocritical for the US to insist that we do not accept the principle of "spheres of influence". For the last 200 years our country has operated under the Monroe Doctrine. Under this doctrine we have
undermined and overthrown at least a dozen governments. In 1962 we came to the brink of nuclear war with the Soviet Union in response to the placement of Soviet missiles in Cuba, 90 miles from our shore, which the
Kennedy administration saw as an unacceptable threat to our national security.To put it simply, even if Russia was not ruled by a corrupt authoritarian leader like Vladimir Putin, Russia, like the United States, would still have an
interest in the security policies of its neighbors. Does anyone really believe that the United States would not have something to say if, for example, Mexico was to form a military alliance with a US adversary?
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Source: The Guardian on 2024 Presidential Hopefuls
Bernie Sanders on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Feb 8, 2022)
Invading Ukraine is wrong, but no need to "get tough"
In my view, we must unequivocally support the sovereignty of Ukraine and make clear that the international community will impose severe consequences on Putin and his associates if he does not change course.With that said, I am extremely concerned
when I hear the familiar drumbeats in Washington, the bellicose rhetoric that gets amplified before every war, demanding that we must "show strength", "get tough" and not engage in "appeasement". A simplistic refusal to recognize the complex roots of
the tensions in the region undermines the ability of negotiators to reach a peaceful resolution.
One of the precipitating factors of this crisis, at least from Russia's perspective, is the prospect of an enhanced security relationship between
Ukraine and the US and western Europe, including what Russia sees as the threat of Ukraine joining NATO
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Source: The Guardian on 2024 Presidential Hopefuls
Antony Blinken on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Jan 9, 2022)
Putin's actions lead to support of Ukraine in NATO
We're going to listen to Russia's concerns. They're going to have to listen to our concerns. If they are proceeding in good faith, we think we can make progress in addressing concerns on both sides that would reduce tensions and deal with improving
security. We will do that in close coordination with European allies and partners. We have made very clear to Russia that there's going to be nothing about Europe without Europe. But, ultimately, this is up to President Putin to decide which path he's
going to follow.President Putin talks about lots of things he's concerned about. Yet the very actions he's taken have precipitated much of what he says he wants to prevent. Back in 2014, before Russia invaded Ukraine, 25% of Ukrainians supported
Ukraine joining NATO. Now it's about 60%. Similarly, NATO felt compelled to put more forces and equipment on its eastern flank close to Russia. So, it's Putin's actions that are precipitating what he says he doesn't want.
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Source: CNN 2022 "State of the Union" interview of Biden Cabinet
Antony Blinken on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Jan 9, 2022)
Nations can't dictate another's choices and associations
This is bigger even than Ukraine. This goes to some basic principles of international relations that are what guarantee peace and security. The principle that one nation can't simply change the borders of another by force. The principle that one
nation can't dictate to another its choices and with whom it will associate. The principle that we can't have countries exerting spheres of influence to subjugate their neighbors. That should be a relic of the past. All of that is what is in play here.
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Source: ABC This Week 2022 interview of Biden Cabinet
Antony Blinken on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Jan 9, 2022)
Russia can't dictate Ukraine's choices and associations
This is bigger even than Ukraine. This goes to some basic principles of international relations that are what guarantee peace and security. The principle that one nation can't simply change the borders of another by force. The principle that one
nation can't dictate to another its choices and with whom it will associate. The principle that we can't have countries exerting spheres of influence to subjugate their neighbors. That should be a relic of the past. All of that is what is in play here.
Click for Antony Blinken on other issues.
Source: ABC This Week 2022 interview of Biden Cabinet
Donald Trump on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Jul 15, 2021)
Nobody was tougher on Russia than me, and they respected us
A 2016 report prepared by Putin's expert department recommended Moscow use 'all possible force' to ensure a Trump presidential victory.Independent experts say the report--"No 32-04\vd"--appears to be genuine.
The UK's former ambassador in Moscow
said, "There is no sense Russia might have made a mistake by invading Ukraine. There is a good deal of paranoia. They believe the US is responsible for everything."
Trump did not initially respond to a request for comment. Later, his spokesperson,
issued a statement: "This is disgusting. It's fake news, just like˙RUSSIA, RUSSIA, RUSSIA was fake news. It's just the Radical Left crazies doing whatever they can to demean everybody. It's fiction, and nobody was tougher on Russia than me, including on
the pipeline, and sanctions. At the same time we got along with Russia. Russia respected us, China respected us, Iran respected us, North Korea respected us. And the world was a much safer place than it is now with mentally unstable leadership."
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Source: The Guardian on Trump Impeachment
Antony Blinken on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Feb 4, 2021)
Talked with Russia about need for new arms control
Blinken spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Secretary Blinken and Minister Lavrov discussed the New START extension and the need for new arms control that addresses all of Russia's nuclear weapons and the growing threat from China.
The Secretary raised Russian interference in the 2020 United States election, its military aggression in Ukraine and Georgia, the poisoning of Aleksey Navalny, and the SolarWinds incident, among other issues.
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Source: Biden Administration Press Release from state.gov
Joe Biden on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Oct 22, 2020)
Mueller Report: I did nothing wrong; Trump bribed Ukraine
On the Mueller Report impeachment investigation: TRUMP: I was put through a phony witch hunt for three years. It started before I got elected. They spied on my campaign. Let me just say this, Mueller and 18 angry Democrats and FBI agents all over the
place spent $48 million. They went through everything I had, including my tax returns, and they found absolutely no collusion and nothing wrong. $48 million. I guarantee you, if I spent $1 million on you, Joe, I could find plenty wrong.
BIDEN:
I later learned of Burisma, a company that somehow, I had done something wrong, yet every single person, when he was going through his impeachment, testifying under oath, said I did my job impeccably. I carried out U.S. policy, not one single solitary
thing was out of line. Number two, the guy who got in trouble in Ukraine was this guy trying to bribe the Ukrainian government to say something negative about me, which they would not do and did not do because it never ever, ever happened.
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Source: Third 2020 Presidential Debate, moderated by Kristen Welker
Donald Trump on Ukraine:
(Principles & Values Oct 22, 2020)
The Mueller investigation was an expensive witch hunt
TRUMP: There has been nobody tougher than me on Russia, between the sanctions, between all of what I've done with NATO. I've got the NATO countries to put up an extra $130 billion a year. That's to guard against Russia. While he was selling pillows and
sheets, I sold tank busters to Ukraine.BIDEN: Every single person, when he was going through his impeachment, said I did my job impeccably, not one single solitary thing was out of line. The guy who got in trouble in Ukraine was this guy trying to
bribe the Ukrainian government to say something negative about me, which they would not do and did not do because it never ever, ever happened.
TRUMP: I was put through a phony witch hunt for three years. It started before I got elected. They spied
on my campaign. Let me just say this, Mueller and 18 angry Democrats and FBI agents all over the place spent $48 million. They went through everything I had, including my tax returns, and they found absolutely no collusion and nothing wrong.
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Source: Third 2020 Presidential Debate, moderated by Kristen Welker
Donald Trump on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Sep 8, 2020)
Hard line against Russia: sanctions & diplomatic expulsions
Unlike the Obama administration, the Trump administration had actually taken a hard line against Russia, which the media hardly ever reported because it didn't fit their Trump-Russia collusion narrative. Since taking office, President Trump had imposed
crippling sanctions on Russia; closed Russian diplomatic properties in the United States and expelled Russian spies pretending to be diplomats; approved the sale of lethal arms to Ukraine to defend against Russian aggression; persuaded
NATO allies to increase their military spending to deter Russia; isolated and sanctioned Russia's worst proxies: Iran and Venezuela; made
America the number one producer of oil and gas, lowering the cost of energy and hurting the Russian economy; and rebuilt our military so that neither Russia nor any other foreign adversary could challenge the United States.
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Source: Speaking for Myself, by Sarah Huckabee Sanders, p.167-8
Joe Biden on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Feb 5, 2020)
Putin wants to weaken NATO and democracy
Q: Russian President Vladimir Putin has interfered with Georgian, Ukrainian, French, German, U.K., and U.S. elections. He has occupied territories of Georgia and Ukraine. What will you do to end all of these attacks, which some have said are acts of war?
BIDEN: Well, I think they are. They're acts that are violating our sovereignty. I'm the guy who went over to our NATO colleagues and worked out an agreement before their last series of elections a year and a half ago, where we got everybody running
for office to take a pledge that they would let anyone know that if there was any interference taking place, they would reject any outside help. And one of the very reasons why the president got impeached is because he went to outside folks, seeking
help in our election. Putin is a guy who, in fact, is not anything remotely approaching a democrat with a small "d." His entire objective is to weaken Eastern Europe, bring down NATO, so that he does not have to face the constituency he faces now.
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Source: CNN N. H. Town Hall on eve of 2020 N. H. primary
Donald Trump on Ukraine:
(Principles & Values Jan 16, 2020)
GAO Report: Withholding allocated Ukraine funds violated law
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a legal opinion saying that President Trump's administration broke the law by withholding defense aid to Ukraine--the issue at the heart of the president's impeachment trial. That money, $214 million
which had been allocated for security assistance, was appropriated by Congress & therefore the administration did not have the right to hold it back just because it disagreed with its allocation, the opinion from the nonpartisan government watchdog said.
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Source: Fox News analysis of impeaching Trump
Joe Biden on Ukraine:
(Principles & Values Dec 31, 2019)
No evidence of any corruption by Biden in Ukraine
Trump has said he discussed political rival Biden with the president of Ukraine for one reason: a desire to root out corruption. The former vice president,
Trump said, wielded his influence to benefit his son Hunter's private-sector work in Ukraine. But despite Trump's continued claims, there's no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of either Biden.
Removing that prosecutor was U.S. policy under the administration of President Barack Obama. U.S. officials testified as part of the impeachment inquiry into
Trump that there was no evidence Biden himself worked toward anything other than enacting U.S. policy.
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Source: NBC News analysis of impeaching Trump
Donald Trump on Ukraine:
(Principles & Values Dec 31, 2019)
Pushed false theory that Ukraine framed Russia over meddling
Claim 1: Ukraine interfered in the 2016 electionThis claim is false, according to the unanimous assessment of the U.S. intelligence community and the former special counsel Robert Mueller, who spent two years investigating
Russia's election interference effort. The Russian government, not Ukraine, interfered in the 2016 election "in sweeping and systematic fashion," the
Mueller report concluded, working to boost Trump's bid while damaging his Democratic rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton. Trump repeatedly pushed or referenced a conspiracy theory that
Ukraine and the Democrats framed Russia for election meddling in an attempt to discredit his presidency.
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Source: NBC News analysis of impeaching Trump
Donald Trump on Ukraine:
(Principles & Values Dec 31, 2019)
OpEd: Trump's attack on Ukraine politically driven falsehood
FactCheck on Claim 1: Ukraine interfered in the 2016 electionTrump's former Russia expert, Fiona Hill, called the idea that Ukraine meddled in 2016 a "fictional narrative" promoted by Russian intelligence and rebuked House
Republicans for using it to defend the president against impeachment. "In the course of this investigation,
I would ask that you please not promote politically driven falsehoods that so clearly advance Russian interests," Hill said in her opening statement to Congress. "I refuse to be part of an effort to legitimize an alternate narrative that the
Ukrainian government is a U.S. adversary, and that Ukraine--not Russia --attacked us in 2016."
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Source: NBC News analysis of impeaching Trump
Donald Trump on Ukraine:
(Principles & Values Dec 30, 2019)
Repeatedly blocked impeachment witnesses from testifying
Sen. Chuck Schumer renewed his call for White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton to testify in the Senate impeachment trial after The NY Times published new details about the effort to withhold aid
to Ukraine. "Simply put: In our fight to have key documents and witnesses in a Senate impeachment trial, these new revelations are a game-changer," Schumer said at a news conference. The White House has repeatedly blocked witnesses from testifying.
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Source: Poltiico.com analysis of impeaching Trump
Mike Bloomberg on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Dec 24, 2019)
Don't recognize Crimea annexation; do extend START treaty
Bloomberg argues for stronger measures to counter Russia while also calling for fresh negotiations with Moscow on arms control.He says that lifting any sanctions on Russia or recognizing its annexation of Crimea would be "a monumental mistake."
He argues that Washington must continue providing Ukraine with lethal aid for it to defend against Russian aggression and maintain faith in U.S. security guarantees.
He has called Putin a "strongman" who seeks territorial expansion and the
destabilization of Europe and who has abetted war crimes in Syria by supporting Bashar al-Assad's government.
He opposes the planned Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Russia and Europe, arguing that it would give Putin increased leverage over
European countries.
He calls for talks with Russia to extend the New START treaty, a nuclear arms reduction agreement set to expire in 2021, as well as to revive the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty.
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Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2019 Democratic primary
Deval Patrick on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Dec 24, 2019)
Crime for Trump to ask Ukraine to investigate Biden
Patrick has issued no policy proposals regarding U.S. policy toward Russia, though he criticizes Trump for his willingness to solicit foreign interference in U.S. elections.He says that
Trump's request that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky investigate fellow presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden is "a crime in and of itself" and calls for Trump's impeachment.
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Source: Council on Foreign Relations on impeaching Trump
Donald Trump on Ukraine:
(Principles & Values Dec 17, 2019)
OpEd: "Perfect" call a smoking gun rather than exoneration
[Analysis of Trump Letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi]: "Fortunately, there was a transcript of the conversation taken, and you know from the transcript (which was immediately made available) that the paragraph in question was perfect."
Here are 4 facts from that July 25 phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky: - Trump tells Zelensky that the US does a lot for Ukraine
- Trump reminds Zelensky that Ukraine doesn't reciprocate
-
Trump asks Zelensky for a favor: to look into a debunked conspiracy theory that the hacked Democratic National Committee server is in Ukraine and
- Trump asks Zelensky to look into Joe and Hunter Biden.
To my mind, the White House transcript of that call reads more like a smoking gun than an exoneration.
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Source: CNN analysis of Letter from President on impeaching Trump
Barack Obama on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Nov 13, 2019)
Provided only non-lethal aid to Ukraine against Russia
Rep. Devin Nunes dismissed the aid provided to Ukraine by the Obama administration as "blankets." Nunes' comment came as he took aim at "the politicized bureaucracy," the "executive branch employees [who] are charged with implementing policy set by our
president." "Despite their dissatisfaction with President Trump's Ukraine policy," Nunes said, "the president approved the supply of weapons to Ukraine, unlike the previous administration, which provided blankets as defense against invading Russians."
The Obama administration provided hundreds of millions of dollars worth of nonlethal military and security aid, such as military training, communications equipment, vehicles, night-vision goggles and counter-mortar radar to detect incoming artillery
fire. It's true that in 2014, Obama balked at providing Ukraine lethal military aid, despite a plea to the U.S. Congress for such assistance by Ukraine's then-President Petro Poroshenko.
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Source: Tucson Sentinel FactCheck on Trump Impeachment
Cory Booker on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Oct 15, 2019)
Trump's withdrawal from world stage is sign of weakness
This president is turning the moral leadership of this country into a dumpster fire. We cannot allow the Russians to continue to grow and influence by abandoning the world stage. We cannot allow Russia to not only interfere in the democracies of the
Ukraine, and Latvia, and Lithuania, but even not calling them out for their efforts to interfere in this democracy are unacceptable. Russia and Putin understand strength, and this President, time and time again, is showing moral weakness.
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Source: October Democratic CNN/NYTimes Primary debate
Amy Klobuchar on Ukraine:
(Government Reform Oct 15, 2019)
Russia didn't just meddle in our election; they invaded it
Q: Your response to Putin and Russia?CEO Andrew Yang: We have to let Russia know, "Look, we get it. We've tampered with other elections. You've tampered with our elections. And now it has to stop."
Senator Klobuchar: I don't see a moral equivalency
between our country and Russia. Vladimir Putin is someone who has shot down planes over Ukraine, who has poisoned his opponent, and we have not talked about what we need to do to protect ourselves from Russia invading our election.
This wasn't meddling--that's what I do when I call my daughter on a Saturday night and ask her what she's doing. This was much more serious than that. This was actually invading our election. So to protect ourselves in 2020, we need backup paper ballots
in every single state. And then we need to stop the social media companies from running paid political ads, without having to say where those ads came from and who paid for them. That's the Honest Ads Act, that's a bipartisan bill that I lead.
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Source: October Democratic CNN/NYTimes Primary debate
Amy Klobuchar on Ukraine:
(Principles & Values Oct 15, 2019)
Trump's actions make Russia great again, not America
I'm waiting to find out how making that call to the head of Ukraine and trying to get him involved in interfering in our election makes America great again. I'd like to hear how leaving the Kurds for slaughter, where Russia then steps in to protect
them, makes America great again. I would like to hear from him about how coddling up to Vladimir Putin makes America great again. It doesn't make America great again, it makes Russia great again. That is what this President has done.
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Source: October Democratic Primary debate on impeaching Trump
Tulsi Gabbard on Ukraine:
(Principles & Values Oct 15, 2019)
Supports impeachment inquiry providing info to Americans
The serious issues that have been raised around this phone call that he had with the president of Ukraine and many other things that transpired around that are what caused
me to support the inquiry in the House and I think that it should continue to play its course out together. All the information, provide that to the American people, recognizing that that is the only way forward.
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Source: October Democratic Primary debate on impeaching Trump
Bill Weld on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Oct 3, 2019)
Unlimited military aid to Ukraine against Russian incursion
Q: What steps would you take to counter Russian aggression against Ukraine?A: Ukraine, while not a NATO member, is an EU partner and a treaty-recognized buffer zone between Russia and NATO. Ukraine has a sizeable population and economic zone whose
seizure would be a major first step toward reconstituting the old Soviet Union's borders and corresponding influence--for Putin, it is therefore a major opportunity if it could be seized intact. Conversely, Ukraine has shown itself willing to fight and
take losses in blood and treasure. Allowing Ukraine to fall would effectively "Finlandize" Europe, to the extent it has not already been. Accordingly, I would provide military aid to Ukraine--as much as was necessary. I would make it clear that if
the Ukrainians wanted to defend their territory, we would help, and further incursions would be costly. I would continue to hold exercises in Eastern Europe and look at ways to defend the Baltics.
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Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential hopefuls
Bill Weld on Ukraine:
(Principles & Values Sep 24, 2019)
Trump's Ukraine caper is impeachable and treasonous
Q: You have called this Ukraine business "treason pure and simple." WELD: I think the Ukraine caper by the president is some combination of treason, bribery, and other high crimes and misdemeanors. The one thing that's absolutely clear is that
it's grounds for removal from office. You have a sitting U.S. president essentially selling the results of an American presidential election in which he is a candidate and rigging it in his favor against another candidate corruptly. The end of the
Mueller report makes it very plain that any activity this president takes to benefit himself or his family politically or financially is a corrupt action. Suspending the aid and then immediately calling up the president and saying "do this to kill
Biden." And meanwhile $400 million is no longer there as of 3 or 4 days before the call. How stupid are we supposed to be? How stupid is the president of Ukraine supposed to be? He knows exactly what Mr. Trump is saying to him. And it's vastly illegal.
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Source: Business Insider 2019 GOP presidential primary debate
Donald Trump on Ukraine:
(Principles & Values Sep 21, 2019)
LameStream Media are the Enemy of the People
Tweet from President Trump: "The LameStream Media had a very bad week [reporting on President Trump's repeated requests to Ukraine to investigate the son of former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden, and the "whistleblower complaint" that sparked
the reporting]. They pushed numerous phony stories and got caught, especially The Failing New York Times, which has lost more money over the last 10 years than any paper in history, and The Amazon Washington Post. They are The Enemy of the People!
The Fake News Media nowadays not only doesn't check for the accuracy of the facts, they knowingly make up the facts.
They even make up sources in order to protect their partners, the Democrats. It is so wrong, but they don't even care anymore. They have gone totally CRAZY!!!!"
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Source: Twitter postings by 2020 presidential hopefuls
Andrew Yang on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Aug 9, 2019)
Helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia helps US
Russian aggression in Ukraine is a blatant violation of international law, and we have the obligation to work with our allies to act. Helping Ukraine will also help us prepare for Russian aggression. The Russian interference in Ukrainian elections
was a precursor to their interference in US elections. By helping neighboring states to Russia defend themselves, we're also learning how to defend ourselves.
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Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Joe Sestak on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Jul 30, 2019)
Work with allies to oppose Russian aggression in Ukraine
The territorial aggression of Russia must not be allowed to continue. This is a prime example of why US leadership of a rules-based global order is so important that also recognizes the value and need of allies for their equal contributions in different
ways. We need new leadership here at home in order to re-establish that the United States is committed to democracy's values, and that we will not turn our backs on democratic countries under threat from autocrats like Vladimir Putin.
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Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Pete Buttigieg on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Jul 30, 2019)
Sanctions on Russia; support for Ukraine
We must keep tough, targeted, and effective economic and financial sanctions on Russia as long as it continues to assault Ukrainian territory and citizens and continues to illegally occupy Ukrainian territory. Countering Russian aggression also means
supporting Ukraine's independence and ability to make and implement sovereign foreign policy decisions by supporting Ukraine's political, economic, and defense capabilities.
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Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Seth Moulton on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Jul 30, 2019)
Provide lethal aid to Ukraine; strengthen NATO
The United States needs to hold Russia accountable for its ongoing aggression against Ukraine. We should do so by increasing sanctions to impose costs on the Russian government and by continuing to provide lethal aid to Ukraine. The actions we take must
also be part of a broader strategy to counter Moscow's malign behavior. That means strengthening NATO's military capabilities and modernizing it to counter cyberattacks with the same resolve we've used to stop tanks from rolling into Europ
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Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Donald Trump on Ukraine:
(Principles & Values Apr 29, 2019)
OpEd: Russia helped Trump so they'd control eastern Ukraine
What the Mueller Report says:The Aug. 2, 2016 meeting included the start of what would be a series of discussions between Manafort & Kilimnik about a so-called peace plan for Ukraine, which Manafort admitted to prosecutors was "a backdoor
means for Russia to control eastern Ukraine."Supplemental information and analysis:A senior prosecutor in the Special Counsel's Office said that the Aug. 2 meeting goes "very much to the heart of what the Special Counsel's Office is
investigating."
Caveats:Although Kilimnik and Manafort shared the view that Trump's support for the Ukraine peace plan would help it succeed, "the investigation did not uncover evidence of Manafort's passing along information about
Ukrainian peace plans to the candidate or anyone else." The Report then notes that Manafort lied to the Special Counsel Office about the peace plan & his meetings with Kilimnik. Also, Kilimnik continued "to promote the peace plan into the summer 2018."
Click for Donald Trump on other issues.
Source: Ryan Goodman, JustSecurity.org on Mueller Report
Donald Trump on Ukraine:
(Principles & Values Apr 23, 2019)
Campaign manager convicted: conspiracy with Ukraine & Russia
Paul Manafort was charged in federal court on October 30, 2017, then convicted on eight felony counts.Mueller's 24-page statement of offenses describes all of Paul Manafort's crimes. He agreed that he conspired against the US by illegally laundering
through offshore accounts the $60 million he earned in Ukraine from 2006 to 2016. He evaded $15 million in US taxes. He failed to register as a foreign lobbyist while helping his Ukraine clients press their views in Washington.
The conduct outlined by
Mueller painted a devastating portrait of Donald Trump's campaign chairman. Manafort had volunteered to work for Trump for free but was drowning in debt at the time. He appeared eager to use his campaign role to angle for money from his wealthy patrons
in Ukraine and Russia, working in concert with an alleged Russian intelligence asset. His service for Trump coincided with the ramp-up of Russians intervention in the US election and a ratcheting-up of Trump's pro-Russia campaign rhetoric.
Click for Donald Trump on other issues.
Source: Mueller Report: Wash. Post Related Materials, p.617-8
Xi Jinping on Ukraine:
(Government Reform Feb 26, 2018)
Most serious challenge since the end of the Cold War
Some observers have likened [Xi's unbridled power after ending term limits] to the imperial rule of Vladimir Putin, but the similarities are limited. In matters of diplomacy and war, Putin wields mostly the weapons of the weak: hackers in American
politics, militias in Ukraine, obstructionism in the United Nations. It is the arsenal of a declining power. Xi, by contrast, is ascendant. On the current trajectory, Xi's economy and military will pose a far greater challenge to American leadership
than Putin's. Xi, in his first five years in power, dismantled what are known in China as the qian guize (the "unwritten rules"), which allowed people to bribe their way to higher office or to skirt the edges of censorship. Now he is throwing
out the written rules, and to the degree that he applies that approach to the international system--including rules on trade, arms, and access to international waters--America faces its most serious challenge since the end of the Cold War.
Click for Xi Jinping on other issues.
Source: Evan Osnos, "President for Life" in The New Yorker
Joe Biden on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Nov 14, 2017)
Russia vs. Ukraine: Big country beating up a smaller one
In 2015, Putin-backed separatists made an assault on Ukrainian soldiers. Putin was doing everything he could to destabilize the Ukrainian economy and force a collapse of the newly elected government in Kyiv.I was the point man for our administration
on the crisis, which was exactly where I wanted to be. There were academics in the news saying Ukraine was bound to be a defeat for the West, & it would be an unwelcome albatross on my neck if I ran for president in 2016. "He's tied to Ukraine policy,"
a presidential scholar from Pennsylvania told a reporter. "So he could be vulnerable." I didn't much care. There was an important principle at stake: big countries ought not to beat up smaller ones, especially after they had given their word not to.
Ukraine had given up its nuclear weapons program years earlier--in return for a guarantee from the U.S., the United Kingdom, AND RUSSIA to respect its borders and its sovereignty. Two of the three larger countries had kept that promise.
Click for Joe Biden on other issues.
Source: Promise Me, Dad,by Joe Biden, p. 99-101
Joe Biden on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Nov 14, 2017)
Inviolate borders for Ukraine; no spheres of influence
[I presented my views on the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the Senate floor], that it is not the objective to collapse or weaken the Russian economy. But President Putin has to make a simple, stark choice: get out of Ukraine or face continued isolation
and growing economic costs at home."I did stand here six years ago and in the first major foreign policy address of our administration, I spoke about the 'reset,'" We have moved from resetting this important relationship to reasserting the
fundamental bedrock principles on which European freedom and stability rest. And I'll say it again: inviolate borders, no spheres of influence, the sovereign right to choose your own alliances. I cannot repeat that often enough. We need
to remain resolute and united in our support of Ukraine. What happens there will resonate well beyond Ukraine. It matters to all--not just in Europe, but around the world--all who may be subject to aggression."
Click for Joe Biden on other issues.
Source: Promise Me, Dad,by Joe Biden, p.105-7
Barack Obama on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Nov 14, 2017)
Support Ukraine and sanction Russia but no military action
At the beginning of February 2015, Putin-backed separatists were making an assault on Ukrainian soldiers. And Putin was doing everything he could to destabilize the Ukrainian economy and force a collapse of the newly elected government in Kyiv.
President Obama's sympathies were all with Ukraine, but he was not going to allow this regional conflict to escalate into a hot war with Russia. Barack was a student of modern world history, and an incisive one. He was always on guard of the age-old
mistake of allowing smaller brush fires to be unwittingly fed until they had become terrifying conflagrations beyond anyone's control. He would caution me sometimes about overpromising to the new Ukrainian government. "We're not going to send in the
82nd Airborne, Joe. The president and I agreed that we could and should convince our European allies to support and extend serious economic sanctions against Russia. But economic sanctions were as far as the U.S. and its allies in Europe would go.
Click for Barack Obama on other issues.
Source: Promise Me, Dad,by Joe Biden, p. 99-101
Ted Cruz on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Nov 14, 2017)
Provide support to Ukrainian fighters against Russia
[I presented my views on the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the Senate floor], that it is not the objective to collapse or weaken the Russian economy. But President Putin has to make a simple, stark choice: get out of Ukraine or face continued isolation
duty to provide weapons to Ukraine. The Ukrainians had shown real courage, and though they were unlikely to stop any determined Russian military aggression, I believed they deserved to be able to try and defend themselves.
[When the speech was over,] even Senator Ted Cruz, who rarely agreed with anything I had to say, agreed with me about providing support to beleaguered Ukrainian fighters. As did Republican senator Lindsey Graham.
Click for Ted Cruz on other issues.
Source: Promise Me, Dad,by Joe Biden, p.105-7
Mike Pence on Ukraine:
(Homeland Security Oct 4, 2016)
Rebuild military and project American strength in the world
Hillary Clinton's top priority when she became secretary of state was the Russian reset. After the Russian reset, the Russians invaded Ukraine and took over Crimea. And the small and bullying leader of Russia is now dictating terms to the US [in Syria].
Look, we have got to begin to lean into this with strong, broad-shouldered American leadership.I just have to tell you that the provocations by Russia need to be met with American strength. It begins by rebuilding our military. And the Russians & the
Chinese have been making enormous investments in the military. We have the smallest Navy since 1916. We have the lowest number of troops since the end of the Second World War. We've got to work with Congress, and Donald Trump will, to rebuild our
military & project American strength in the world. We've just got to have American strength on the world stage. When Donald Trump becomes president, the Russians and other countries in the world will know they're dealing with a strong American president.
Click for Mike Pence on other issues.
Source: 2016 Vice-Presidential Debate at Longwood University
Mike Pence on Ukraine:
(Homeland Security Oct 4, 2016)
Rebuild military and project American strength in the world
Hillary Clinton's top priority when she became secretary of state was the Russian reset. After the Russian reset, the Russians invaded Ukraine and took over Crimea. And the small and bullying leader of Russia is now dictating terms to the US [in Syria].
Look, we have got to begin to lean into this with strong, broad-shouldered American leadership.I just have to tell you that the provocations by Russia need to be met with American strength. It begins by rebuilding our military. And the Russians & the
Chinese have been making enormous investments in the military. We have the smallest Navy since 1916. We have the lowest number of troops since the end of the Second World War. We've got to work with Congress, and Donald Trump will, to rebuild our
military & project American strength in the world. We've just got to have American strength on the world stage. When Donald Trump becomes president, the Russians and other countries in the world will know they're dealing with a strong American president.
Click for Mike Pence on other issues.
Source: 2016 Vice-Presidential Debate at Longwood University
John Kasich on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Feb 13, 2016)
How to deal with Russia on Ukraine: Punch 'em in the nose
Q: Russia is being credited with bombing U.S.-backed rebels on behalf of Assad in Syria. They've moved into eastern Ukraine. You've said you want to punch them in the nose. What are you going to do?KASICH: First of all -- yes.
We have to make it clear to Russia what we expect. We don't have to declare an enemy or threaten, but we need to make clear what we expect. Number one is we will arm the folks in Ukraine who are fighting for their freedom.
Secondly, an attack on NATO is an attack on us.
TRUMP: We're going to have to learn who our allies are [against ISIS]. We have allies, we have no idea who they are in Syria. Do we want to stay that route, or do we want to go and make
something with Russia?
BUSH: The very basic fact is that Vladimir Putin is not going to be an ally of the United States. The whole world knows this. It's a simple basic fact.
Click for John Kasich on other issues.
Source: 2016 CBS Republican primary debate in South Carolina
Bernie Sanders on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Feb 11, 2016)
Beef up NATO against Russian aggression
Russia's aggressive actions in the Crimea and Ukraine have brought about a situation where President Obama and NATO--correctly, I believe--are saying we're going to beef up our troop level in that part of the world to tell
Putin that his aggressiveness is not going to go unmatched. We have to work with NATO to protect Eastern Europe against any kind of Russian aggression.
Click for Bernie Sanders on other issues.
Source: 2016 PBS Democratic debate in Wisconsin
Donald Trump on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Nov 10, 2015)
Let Russia bash ISIS; let Germany defend Ukraine
Q: Russia has invaded Ukraine, and has put troops in Syria. You have said you will have a good relationship with Mr. Putin. So, what does President Trump do in response to Russia's aggression?TRUMP: As far as Syria, if Putin wants to go and knock
the hell out of ISIS, I am all for it, 100%, and I can't understand how anybody would be against it.
Q: They're not doing that.
TRUMP: They blew up a Russian airplane. He cannot be in love with these people.
He's going in, and we can go in, and everybody should go in. As far as the Ukraine is concerned, we have a group of people, and a group of countries, including Germany--why are we always doing the work? I'm all for protecting Ukraine--but, we have
countries that are surrounding the Ukraine that aren't doing anything. They say, "Keep going, keep going, you dummies, keep going. Protect us." And we have to get smart. We can't continue to be the policeman of the world.
Click for Donald Trump on other issues.
Source: Fox Business/WSJ First Tier debate
Bernie Sanders on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Oct 13, 2015)
Putin regrets invading Crimea & the Ukraine
Q [to Clinton]: What about Putin's actions involving Russia in Syria [bombing ISIS to defend President Assad]?CLINTON: We have an opportunity here--and inside the administration this is being hotly debated--to get that leverage to try to get the
Russians to have to deal with everybody in the region and begin to move toward a political, diplomatic solution in Syria.
Q [to Sanders]: Putin in Syria?
SANDERS: I think Mr. Putin is going to regret what he is doing.
Q: He doesn't seem to be the
type of guy to regret a lot.
SANDERS: I think he's already regretting what he did in Crimea and what he is doing in the Ukraine. I think he is really regretting the decline of his economy. And I think what he is trying to do now is save some face.
But I think when Russians get killed in Syria and when he gets bogged down, I think the Russian people are going to give him a message that maybe they should come home, maybe they should start working with the United States to rectify the situation now.
Click for Bernie Sanders on other issues.
Source: 2015 CNN Democratic primary debate in Las Vegas
Vladimir Putin on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Sep 25, 2015)
2008: Ukraine as part of NATO is a direct threat to Russia
At the end of the Bucharest Summit in April 2008, a declaration is issued which says "NATO welcomes Ukraine's and Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations for membership in NATO. We agreed today that these countries will become members of NATO." The
Russians made perfectly clear this was unacceptable. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister said "Georgia's and Ukraine's membership in the alliance is a huge strategic mistake which will have most serious consequences for pan-European security."
Putin
himself said, "Georgia and Ukraine becoming part of NATO is a direct threat to Russia." You all remember that there was a war between Russia and Georgia in August 2008. That was a consequence of this--because the Georgians thought we were sending them
a signal that they could get uppity with the Russians and we would back them because they were going to become part of NATO. The Russians clobbered the Georgians, and Georgia is in deep trouble today because it thought it could become part of NATO. ˙
Click for Vladimir Putin on other issues.
Source: America Magazine on Ukraine-Russia war
Donald Trump on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Aug 17, 2015)
Support NATO, but it's not us against Russia
Q: You wrote, "Pulling back from Europe would save this country millions of dollars annually. The cost of stationing NATO troops in Europe is enormous. And these are clearly funds that can be put to better use." Would you want to end the NATO alliance
completely?TRUMP: I'm a little concerned about NATO from this standpoint. Take Ukraine. We're leading Ukraine. Where's Germany? Where are the countries of Europe leading? I don't mind helping them. Why isn't Germany leading this charge? Why is the
United States? I mean, we're like the policemen of the world. And why are we leading the charge in Ukraine?
Q: So you wouldn't allow Ukraine into NATO?
TRUMP: I would not care that much. Whether it goes in or doesn't go in, I wouldn't care. Look,
I would support NATO.
Q: It sounds like you're not a fan of NATO
TRUMP: I'm a fan of fairness. I'm a fan of common sense. I'm certainly not a fan of us being against Russia. Why are we always at the forefront of everything?
Click for Donald Trump on other issues.
Source: Meet the Press 2015 interview, on Foreign Influences
Ted Cruz on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Feb 8, 2015)
Provide defensive weapons for Ukraine against Russia
Q: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she does not think it is time to arm the Ukrainians yet. Why is she wrong?CRUZ: She said she did not believe there was any prospect for Ukraine to be successful in defending itself against Russian aggression.
I think that's mistaken. What [Obama and Merkel are] doing with regard to Ukraine and with regard to Russia makes no sense, and it isn't working. It is long past time for us to step forward and provide defensive weapons, so that the men and women of
Ukraine can defend their nation. They are our allies. We committed ourselves to standing with Ukraine to defend their territorial integrity.
Q: Should the US arm the Ukraine over the objections of the Germans?
CRUZ: What we're seeing is, when
America doesn't lead, Europe can't be expected to step into the breach. What is missing from this is the president of the US. I'm part of a large bipartisan congressional delegation that is united on the need for us to provide defensive arms to Ukraine.
Click for Ted Cruz on other issues.
Source: CNN SOTU 2015 interviews of 2016 presidential hopefuls
Barack Obama on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Jan 20, 2015)
Russia is in tatters because of our steady resolve
We're upholding the principle that bigger nations can't bully the small--by opposing Russian aggression, supporting Ukraine's democracy, and reassuring our NATO allies. Last year, as we were doing the hard work of imposing sanctions along with our
allies, some suggested that Mr. Putin's aggression was a masterful display of strategy and strength. Well, today, it is America that stands strong and united with our allies, while Russia is isolated, with its economy in tatters.
Click for Barack Obama on other issues.
Source: 2015 State of the Union address
Ted Cruz on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Jul 20, 2014)
Vigorous sanctions against Putin; help eastern Ukraine
Q: President Obama condemned the shoot down of the Malaysian Airliner over Ukraine, but he has not announced any new action against the Russians. How would President Cruz handle Putin?CRUZ: What we appear to know right now is it appears to have been a
Buk Russian missile, and that kind of technology is not randomly found on the streets. That likely found its way into the hands of Russian rebels and Russian separatists in Ukraine because of Putin's direct involvement.
Q: So, how would you get Putin
to stop?
CRUZ: We should do a number of things. One, we need vigorous sanctions. We need sanctions that target the Russian energy sector, the Russian financial sector that put serious consequences for what Putin is doing. Two, we should immediately
reinstate the antiballistic missile batteries in Eastern Europe that President Obama canceled in 2009 in an effort to appease Russia. And three, we need to open up the export of liquid natural gas, which will help liberate Ukraine and Eastern Europe.
Click for Ted Cruz on other issues.
Source: Fox News Sunday 2014 interview of 2016 presidential hopefuls
Hillary Clinton on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Jun 10, 2014)
Putin's annexing Crimea plays outdated zero-sum game
Putin's worldview is shaped by Russia's long-standing interest in controlling the nations on its borders, and his personal determination that his country never again appear weak or at the mercy of the West, as he believes it was after the collapse of the
Soviet Union. To achieve these goals, he seeks to reduce the influence of the US in areas that he considers part of Russia's sphere. All of that helps explain why Putin first pressured Ukraine to walk away from closer ties with the European Union in late
2013, and why Putin invaded and annexed Crimea. Putin sees geopolitics as a zero-sum game in which, if someone is winning, then someone else has to be losing. That's an outdated but still dangerous concept, one that requires the US to show both
strength and patience. To manage our relationship with the Russians, we should work with them on specific issues when possible, and rally other nations to work with us to prevent or limit their negative behavior when needed.
Click for Hillary Clinton on other issues.
Source: Hard Choices, by Hillary Clinton, p.227-8
Hillary Clinton on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Jun 10, 2014)
Putin's annexing Crimea plays outdated zero-sum game
Putin seeks to reduce the influence of the US in areas that he considers part of Russia's sphere. That helps explain why Putin first pressured Ukrainian President Yanukovych to walk away from closer ties with the European Union in late 2013, and why,
after Yanukovych's government disintegrated, Putin invaded and annexed Crimea. If Putin is restrained and doesn't push beyond Crimea into eastern Ukraine, it will not be because he has lost his appetite for more power, territory, and influence.
Putin sees geopolitics as a zero-sum game in which, if someone is winning, then someone else has to be losing. That's an outdated but still dangerous concept, one that requires the US to show both strength and patience. To manage our relationship
with the Russians, we should work with them on specific issues when possible, and rally other nations to work with us to prevent or limit their negative behavior when needed. That's a difficult but essential balance to strike.
Click for Hillary Clinton on other issues.
Source: Hard Choices, by Hillary Clinton, p.227-8
Ted Cruz on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Jun 1, 2014)
America is indispensable; our allies need our leadership
Q: Ambassador Rice responded to your criticism--CRUZ: Well, you know, I just got back last week from traveling to Israel and Ukraine and Poland and Estonia. One of the things Ambassador Rice said that was absolutely correct is that
American is the indispensable leader. But what our allies are expressing over and over again is that leadership is missing.
And the most frequent thing you hear when you talk to an ambassador, a foreign minister of our friends and allies is they pull you aside quietly in hushed tones; they say, "Where is America?"
When America's weak, when the American president is weak, it leaves our friends and allies vulnerable.
Click for Ted Cruz on other issues.
Source: ABC This Week 2014 series of 2016 presidential hopefuls
Ted Cruz on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Jun 1, 2014)
Install Eastern European ABMs; stand up to Russia in Ukraine
Q: In Ukraine, what would you have done differently there?CRUZ: There's a whole range of activity. President Obama set two straw men: One, invade or two, do nothing. And there's a whole range of intermediate steps. Pres. Obama should have spoken out
clearly in support of freedom, in support of the protesters when the protesters began in the Maidan Square. I had the privilege of traveling through the Maidan Square, being led by 16-year-old high school girl who saw her compatriots shot by army snipers
And they continue to protest for freedom. America should speak out for freedom. But then after that, we should stand with our allies and not give into Russia. We should, right now, install the anti-ballistic missile batteries in Eastern Europe, in
Poland, the Czech Republic, that were scheduled to go in 2009, that Pres. Obama canceled in an effort to appease Putin. That hadn't worked. And we should be using energy as a tool to help liberate the Ukrainian people and to impose costs on Putin.
Click for Ted Cruz on other issues.
Source: ABC This Week 2014 series of 2016 presidential hopefuls
Mike Pence on Ukraine:
(Homeland Security Apr 27, 2014)
Grow NATO stronger; Poland & Czech missile shield
Q: During a recent trade mission to Germany, recently you criticized the way President Obama has been handling Ukraine. You said, "With Putin's aggression in Ukraine, I believe we must take immediate steps to strengthen our mutual security by deploying
a robust missile defense in all of Europe." Does that mean a missile defense in the Czech Republic or Poland? How does missile defense help?PENCE: I think we need less talk and more deeds. And by deploying a robust missile shield throughout
Europe including in Poland and the Czech Republic that was off-lined in 2009, I think would send a very strong message to Putin and to Russia that NATO countries and the United States are going to respond by growing stronger economically and
strategically. And I believe that's going to have a lot more influence in the long haul than more sanctions and more talk. Let's allow Poland and the Czech Republic to have that missile shield that they were entitled to by joining NATO.
Click for Mike Pence on other issues.
Source: Fox News Sunday 2014 interview by Chris Wallace
Hillary Clinton on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Apr 9, 2014)
Contain Russia or Putin will expand beyond Crimea
During her remarks in San Francisco, Clinton said Russian President Vladimir Putin would not be satisfied with Russia's annexation of Crimea. Clinton said Putin "will go as far as he can go unless he is contained. I don't believe Putin will be satisfied
with Crimea."Her comments came at a marketing industry conference as pro-Russia protests in the eastern part of Ukraine were ongoing. The United States has condemned the protest as the transparent work of Russia attempting to provoke a response.
Clinton has spoken out a number of times against Putin's action in Crimea. She reiterated a point she has made before that the Russia leader is a "tough guy with thin skin."
In the past, she has said Russia's pretext for invading Crimea in order to
protect ethnic Russians was similar to arguments made by Germany in World War II.
Click for Hillary Clinton on other issues.
Source: Mario Trujillo on The Hill weblog, "Thinking about 2016"
Rand Paul on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Mar 11, 2014)
We don't need grandstanding tough talk against Russia
Sen. Rand Paul may not be a foreign policy hawk but he is a political one. He wrote, in a recent critique of his Republican colleagues: "What we don't need right now is politicians who have never seen war talking tough for the sake of their political
careers." Paul was talking about grandstanding responses to the Ukraine crisis. It wasn't a pinprick attack about a policy disagreement: Sen. Paul is claiming his rivals--ignorant to the sacrifices of war--are too cavalier about committing
American troops to foreign conflicts in their rush to make a name for themselves. He made this point in an essay where he also charged these performance hawks with misappropriating Ronald Reagan's legacy, a special desecration in a party where the
40th president is revered. It wasn't immediately clear who Paul was attacking. He did not name names, but that may simply have been because he had too many targets. He could have been referring to several of his potential rivals for the presidency.
Click for Rand Paul on other issues.
Source: CBS News 2014 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls
Rand Paul on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Mar 11, 2014)
Don't get stuck in Cold War idea of tweaking Russia
What Rand Paul has been saying about Russia and Ukraine is much more confusing than it is isolationist. When Moscow's pawn fled Ukraine, Sen. Paul wasn't celebrating the triumph of the Kiev democracy movement, but said, "Some on our side are so stuck in
the Cold War era that they want to tweak Russia all the time and I don't think that is a good idea." Paul said he wanted "respectful" relations with Russia.Paul's dovish line started to seem a bit embarrassing when men with unmarked uniforms began to
seize control of parts of Crimea. Paul then issued this timid warning for the Kremlin: "Russia should be reminded that stability and territorial integrity go hand in hand with prosperity. Economic incentives align against Russian military involvement in
Ukraine."
Eight days later, he published an essay in Time under the headline, US Must Take Strong Action Against Russian Aggression. He wrote, "It is our role as a global leader to be the strongest nation in opposing Russia's latest aggression."
Click for Rand Paul on other issues.
Source: Forbes Magazine 2014 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls
Ted Cruz on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Mar 9, 2014)
Sanctions on Putin for Ukraine: tyrants respond to weakness
Q: On Russia's invasion of Ukraine:CRUZ (VIDEO TAPE): A critical reason for Putin's aggression has been President Obama's weakness. That Putin fears no retribution. You better believe Putin sees in Benghazi four Americans are murdered and nothing
happens. There is no retribution. You better believe that Putin sees that in Syria, Obama draws a red line and ignores the red line.
Q: (ON CAMERA): So how would you stand up? What would you do? Military action?
CRUZ: No. No, look, not at all.
Q: Sanctions? Would you do sanctions?
CRUZ: Absolutely, yes. There are a host of things we can do. Let's rewind the clock a little bit. #1, don't demonstrate weakness for five years. We have seen historically over and over again tyrants respond to
weakness. We keep making that mistake with Putin. Putin is a KGB thug. When the protests began in Ukraine, the president should have stood unapologetically, emphatically for freedom. And when the US doesn't speak for freedom, tyrants notice.
Click for Ted Cruz on other issues.
Source: ABC This Week 2014 series of 2016 presidential hopefuls
Ted Cruz on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Mar 9, 2014)
US has a responsibility to defend our values abroad
Q: Ted Cruz's approach--tough sanctions against Russia for invading Ukraine--stands in stark contrast with fellow tea partier Rand Paul. Just days before Putin invaded Crimea, Paul said: "I think we need to have a respectful, sometimes adversarial,
but a respectful relationship with Russia. Some on our side are so stuck in the Cold War era, they want to tweak Russia all the time, and I don't think that's a good idea." What's your reaction to that?CRUZ: I'm a big fan of Rand Paul.
I don't agree with him on foreign policy. I think U.S. leadership is critical in the world. And I agree with him that we should be very reluctant to deploy military force aboard. But I think there is a vital role, just as Ronald Reagan did. When
Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union an "evil empire," when he stood in front of the Brandenburg Gate and said, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall," those words changed the course of history. The United States has a responsibility to defend our values.
Click for Ted Cruz on other issues.
Source: ABC This Week 2014 series of 2016 presidential hopefuls
Ted Cruz on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Mar 7, 2014)
Abrogate treaties with Russia over Ukraine invasion
The Ukraine crisis hit the headlines. Politico, obtained an exclusive interview with Cruz in which he stated that the preferred plan for Ukraine was to let the market fix the situation. He argued for the immediate passing a new free trade treaty with
Ukraine and "looking at existing treaties between the United States and Russia, and considering abrogating those treaties."
More important than aid is expanding economic trade expanding mutually beneficial commerce, helping open the door for energy to flow to Ukraine in the private market," Cruz said. He added Russia should be kicked out of the G-8, and that the
United States shouldn't wait on its allied for further action which should include initiating plans to move forward with the missile defense system in Europe.
Click for Ted Cruz on other issues.
Source: Cruzing to the White House, by Mario Broes, p. 92-3
Ted Cruz on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Mar 4, 2014)
Appeasement historically leads to more violence
Vladimir Putin running rampant in Ukraine showcases how the Obama administration's abdication of global leadership is making the world a more dangerous place.Instead of providing clarity, the Obama administration offers tortured semantics. The interim
agreement over Iran's nuclear program is referred to as a display of "international unity." And now, the Russian invasion of Ukraine was euphemistically designated "an uncontested arrival."
This is the language of fools. Appeasement, historically,
leads to more and more violence. Bullies and tyrants are only encouraged when the US uses words that willfully ignore the reality of the threats the US and our allies face.
Ironically, this administration's effort to avoid conflict at all costs makes
conflict all the more likely. Putin knows there will be no serious reprisals for aggression from an American president who was only waiting for his re-election to give him the "flexibility" to make additional concessions at the negotiating table.
Click for Ted Cruz on other issues.
Source: Foreign Policy magazine article by Ted Cruz
Ted Cruz on Ukraine:
(Homeland Security Mar 4, 2014)
Suspend Russia from G8 & withdraw from arms control treaties
- The US should urge the G8 to suspend Russia immediately on the grounds that it is not contributing to a civil international order [based on the Ukraine invasion].
- Congress should start a formal review of the options for US withdrawal from arms
control treaties with Russia.
- The secretary of defense should consider the immediate restoration of the full missile defense installations originally planned for Poland and the Czech Republic that were canceled by the Obama administration in 2009.
-
The president should immediately offer the government of Ukraine in Kiev a free trade agreement indicating that goods are welcome in the US, and explore other options to assist them in their economic recovery that are consistent with free market
principles, including access to US energy exports and assistance to develop Ukraine's own energy resources so as to allow them to be independent of energy blackmail by Russia.
Click for Ted Cruz on other issues.
Source: Foreign Policy magazine article by Ted Cruz
Barack Obama on Ukraine:
(Foreign Policy Jan 28, 2014)
Double access to electricity in Africa
Our alliance with Europe remains the strongest the world has ever known. From Tunisia to Burma, we're supporting those who are willing to do the hard work of building democracy. In Ukraine, we stand for the principle that all people have the right
to express themselves freely and peacefully, and have a say in their country's future. Across Africa, we're bringing together businesses and governments to double access to electricity and help end extreme poverty.
In the Americas, we are building new ties of commerce, but we're also expanding cultural and educational exchanges among young people.
We do these things because they help promote our long-term security. And we do them because we believe in the inherent dignity and equality of every human being, regardless of race or religion, creed or sexual orientation.
Click for Barack Obama on other issues.
Source: 2014 State of the Union address
Hillary Clinton on Ukraine:
(Health Care Nov 1, 2005)
More people read my health plan abroad than in the US
In 2005, Hillary received an honorary degree from a Canadian women's university. It cited her work and leadership on health care reform. The Canadian citizens and doctors she met praised her, and said what she was trying to do was absolutely right. It
was so discouraging for her to see the Canadians understood she had been right, while it seemed nobody in the US thought so.The previous month Hillary had been in the Ukraine touring a hospital, and the minister of health had taken out a copy of her
Health Security Act and asked her to autograph it. The plan was brilliant, the minister said, and he hoped she knew how useful it was in guiding the Ukrainians as they attempted to figure out how to rebuild their health care system.
Hillary burst out
laughing but the bitterness was evident: "I travel around the world, and this happened to me dozens of times now, somebody from another country tells me that they be read it and analyzed it. More people have read it in the Ukraine than read it in the US.
Click for Hillary Clinton on other issues.
Source: The Choice, by Bob Woodward, p.210-211
John Kasich on Ukraine:
(War & Peace Apr 16, 1999)
Use neutral mediators; be flexible on post-war force
We need to involve the Russians, and other neutral countries, like Sweden and Ukraine. And we must actively consult with countries in the region, including Italy, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey. Should Milosevic balk at such overtures, we could still apply
military pressure from the air. Once a settlement is reached, an international force may be necessary to assist the return of refugees and reconstruction. We should be more flexible about the makeup of this force than we have been in the past.
Click for John Kasich on other issues.
Source: NY Times, Op Ed by Kasich, April 16, 1999, on 2000 election
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