Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) and the prime minister of Finland, Sanna Marin, gave dueling interviews just hours apart and offered two very different messages on the threat Russia poses to the rest of Europe as it further escalates its brutal invasion of Ukraine.
DeSantis joined Fox & Friends early Monday morning and was asked by co-host Lisa Boothe about continued U.S. military aid for Ukraine and where he sees the war going.
“I think a lot of Americans are asking, you know, how much more money, how much more time, how much more human suffering?” Boothe asked DeSantis, who joined the program as news of President Joe Biden’s surprise visit to Kyiv broke.
“Well, they have effectively a blank check policy with no clear, strategic objective identified. And these things can escalate. And I don’t think it’s in our interests to be getting into a proxy war with China, getting involved over things like the borderlands or over Crimea,” DeSantis replied.
“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,” the Republican concluded.
“So, Governor, what does a win look like for us in Ukraine, for Ukraine?” Steve Doocy followed up.
“Well, I think it’s important to point out, I mean, you know, the fear of kind of Russia going into NATO countries and all of that and steamrolling, you know, that has not even come close to happening. I think they’ve shown themselves to be a third-rate military power,” DeSantis replied, adding:
I think they’ve suffered tremendous, tremendous losses. I got to think that the people in Russia are probably disapproving of what’s going on. I don’t think they can speak up about it for obvious reasons. So I think Russia has been really, really wounded here. And I don’t think that they are the same threat to our country, even though they’re hostile. I don’t think they’re on the same level as China.
Marin, 37, spoke with CBS’s 60 Minutes in an interview that aired Sunday night and gave a very different view of how she perceives the Russian threat.
“I don’t think that Vladimir Putin is someone that you can reason with. I think his actions are very emotional and it’s based on some kind of feeling of history and greatness of Russia. They see Ukraine as part of Russia, and they think that they have the right to attack another independent country,” Marin replied.
“Do you think that as we sit here right now that Russia poses a threat to Finland?” asked Sharyn Alfonsi.
“I think Russia poses a threat to all of Europe. They are attacking another country. They are killing civilians. They are demolishing infrastructure. Russia poses a threat to all of us. And that’s why we have to make sure that Ukraine will win,” Marin concluded.
Under Marin’s leadership, Finland has applied to join NATO and has been a vocal supporter of military aid to Ukraine, warning that her country could also be in Putin’s crosshairs if he defeats Ukraine.
Watch the full clip above.
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) and the prime minister of Finland, Sanna Marin, gave dueling interviews just hours apart and offered two very different messages on the threat Russia poses to the rest of Europe as it further escalates its brutal invasion of Ukraine.
DeSantis joined Fox & Friends early Monday morning and was asked by co-host Lisa Boothe about continued U.S. military aid for Ukraine and where he sees the war going.
“I think a lot of Americans are asking, you know, how much more money, how much more time, how much more human suffering?” Boothe asked DeSantis, who joined the program as news of President Joe Biden’s surprise visit to Kyiv broke.
“Well, they have effectively a blank check policy with no clear, strategic objective identified. And these things can escalate. And I don’t think it’s in our interests to be getting into a proxy war with China, getting involved over things like the borderlands or over Crimea,” DeSantis replied.
“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,” the Republican concluded.
“So, Governor, what does a win look like for us in Ukraine, for Ukraine?” Steve Doocy followed up.
“Well, I think it’s important to point out, I mean, you know, the fear of kind of Russia going into NATO countries and all of that and steamrolling, you know, that has not even come close to happening. I think they’ve shown themselves to be a third-rate military power,” DeSantis replied, adding:
I think they’ve suffered tremendous, tremendous losses. I got to think that the people in Russia are probably disapproving of what’s going on. I don’t think they can speak up about it for obvious reasons. So I think Russia has been really, really wounded here. And I don’t think that they are the same threat to our country, even though they’re hostile. I don’t think they’re on the same level as China.
Marin, 37, spoke with CBS’s 60 Minutes in an interview that aired Sunday night and gave a very different view of how she perceives the Russian threat.
“I don’t think that Vladimir Putin is someone that you can reason with. I think his actions are very emotional and it’s based on some kind of feeling of history and greatness of Russia. They see Ukraine as part of Russia, and they think that they have the right to attack another independent country,” Marin replied.
“Do you think that as we sit here right now that Russia poses a threat to Finland?” asked Sharyn Alfonsi.
“I think Russia poses a threat to all of Europe. They are attacking another country. They are killing civilians. They are demolishing infrastructure. Russia poses a threat to all of us. And that’s why we have to make sure that Ukraine will win,” Marin concluded.
Under Marin’s leadership, Finland has applied to join NATO and has been a vocal supporter of military aid to Ukraine, warning that her country could also be in Putin’s crosshairs if he defeats Ukraine.
Watch the full clip above.
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