Republican Florida Representative Matt Gaetz slammed President Biden’s foreign policy, by noting that his support for Ukraine could lead the United States into a world war.
During an interview with Newsmax, Gaetz stated that he believed Biden’s approach was “sleepwalking us into World War III” and expressed concerns about the implications of NATO expansion.
Biden gets in the way as world leaders reach over him to greet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the NATO Summit in Lithuania pic.twitter.com/sBrwi0SXzo
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 12, 2023
“Let’s talk about what’s actually going on at NATO right now. The $115 billion we sent Ukraine was not enough, so now they are talking about giving Ukraine Israel-like security status, so we have to pay to be the block captain of Ukraine forever. I think one can reasonably ask the question, ‘Has NATO expansion made us safer?’ Has it really? Are we safer today than we were before NATO expanded into the Baltics and put us now on the brink of war?” Gaetz asked.
Matt Gaetz on Democrat War Hawks:
"I remember when the squad showed up in Washington DC, and they were saying the military is racist. Now, they're voting for NATO expansion, for goodness sake."@mattgaetz @ggreenwald pic.twitter.com/7YUsq6yTYn
— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) February 17, 2023
The NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, has focused on the potential inclusion of Ukraine in the international alliance, a move that some fear could escalate tensions with Russia. President Biden, however, expressed reservations about Ukraine’s readiness to join NATO, citing issues within Ukraine’s government and the ongoing conflict with Russia.
While supporters argue that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine necessitates international assistance, including military support and NATO membership, NATO leaders proposed the formation of a NATO-Ukraine Council that would allow consultation and coordination without formal membership.
The conditions set by NATO for Ukraine’s potential membership drew criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Kremlin. Zelenskyy characterized the lack of a specified timeframe for invitation or membership as “unprecedented and absurd,” stating that NATO’s actions disrespected Ukraine and motivated Russia.
The security reality here on NATO's eastern flank depends on Ukraine. When we applied to join @NATO, we were frank: 🇺🇦 is de facto already in the Alliance. Our weapons are the weapons of the Alliance. Our values are what the Alliance believes in. Our defense is the very element… pic.twitter.com/V9I5wYh2j7
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 10, 2023
In response, Russia’s presidential spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, warned that providing security guarantees to Ukraine would encroach upon the security of the Russian Federation and could lead to negative consequences.
The United States has already committed substantial financial aid to Ukraine, with approximately $113 billion provided in four rounds of funding. Additionally, the Biden administration announced its plan to supply cluster munitions to Ukraine and allocate an additional $800 million in military aid.
Rep. Gaetz’s concerns about President Biden’s foreign policy and the potential ramifications of NATO’s decisions reflect broader debates surrounding international alliances and the ongoing tensions between Ukraine and Russia.
