Republicans warn that if Ukraine joins NATO, the US could go to war with Russia
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is facing backlash from fellow Republicans in both the House and Senate as he champions a bipartisan resolution advocating for Ukraine’s inclusion in NATO amid its ongoing conflict with Russia.
In a tweet discussing his endeavor, Graham expressed his belief in the “overwhelming” support for the proposal in the Senate and emphasized the significance of Ukraine’s NATO membership for the future security of Europe and the world.
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“I will collaborate with Republicans and Democrats in the Senate to successfully pass a resolution urging the admission of Ukraine into NATO,” Graham affirmed regarding his initiative. “The most effective approach to prevent future conflicts and foster peace is to establish security guarantees that give potential aggressor nations pause before instigating wars.”
“Ukrainian NATO membership is of utmost importance for the future security of both Europe and the world. I firmly believe that a significant majority of Senators are in favor of this proposition,” he emphasized.
Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul vehemently opposed Graham’s proposal in a tweet on Friday evening, asserting that it is “completely misguided” and cautioning that it has the potential to drag the United States into a conflict with Russia.
“Absolutely not. This is completely misguided – as usual – and could very well lead us into a war with Russia, which is something no one should desire,” replied Paul to Graham’s tweet.
Absolutely not. This is exactly wrong – as usual – and could very well lead us to war with Russia, something no one should want. https://t.co/G0ihMH11pd
— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) July 7, 2023
The senator’s stance also faced criticism from House Republicans, including Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., who expressed in a tweet, “I’m certain Lindsey Graham is aware of this, but endorsing this would entail deploying American troops in Ukraine.”
“The American people will not tolerate sending our troops to sacrifice their lives in someone else’s conflict,” the congresswoman emphasized.
Offering opposition to the proposal, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., stated that “expanding NATO” does not align with the interests of the American populace.
In a tweet, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., criticized the expansion of NATO by stating, “The expansion of NATO, a remnant of the Cold War era, contributed to the rise of Putin, who is also a remnant of the Cold War. This ultimately resulted in the invasion of Ukraine. Further expansion of NATO does not serve the interests of American citizens.”
Expansion of NATO, a Cold War relic, led to the rise of Putin, also a Cold War relic, culminating in the invasion of Ukraine. Expanding NATO further is not in the interests of US citizens. https://t.co/UWHN9QMW8C
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) July 7, 2023
Paralleling Rep. Massie’s sentiments, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia, voiced her opposition to the proposal and stressed that “the American people do not endorse” the senator’s suggestion.
“This is absolute madness. Every individual in Washington should be advocating for peace and working to halt the war in Ukraine. We should not be pushing ourselves to the precipice of World War 3,” Greene expressed in a tweet. “The conflict in Ukraine is causing instability in Europe and disrupting global economies. America does not endorse this.”
Sharing his perspective on the proposal, Rep. Warren Davidson, a GOP representative from Ohio, argued that the effort promoted by Graham is “effectively a declaration of war.”
“A definitive ‘no.’ Russia’s invasion is unjust, but including Ukraine as a NATO member would essentially be seen as a declaration of war,” Davidson responded to Graham. “Even within America, we cannot reach a consensus on our objectives in Ukraine, and NATO is not fully funding its own defense. This is an incredibly ill-conceived notion. Absolutely unacceptable.”
Richard Grenell, the former U.S. Ambassador to Germany, also voiced his opposition to Graham’s proposal and contended that no new members should be added to “the financial burden on U.S. taxpayers” until all NATO members fulfill their agreed-upon “2% spending obligation” from 2014.
“Only eight out of the current 31 NATO members are meeting their 2% spending obligation that they committed to in 2014. We should not burden U.S. taxpayers with additional members until we have achieved full compliance from all 31,” Grenell wrote in a tweet.
Several conservatives were quick to raise concerns about Senator Lindsey Graham’s proposal, including Mollie Hemingway, a Fox News contributor and the editor-in-chief of The Federalist.
“Senator Graham’s dangerous rhetoric is indicative of a warmonger, and given his foreign policy track record, it would be wise to consider doing the opposite of what he suggests,” Hemingway expressed in a tweet.
Graham’s stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has persisted for more than a year, has not found favor among staunch conservatives.
As a staunch supporter of Ukraine’s defensive efforts, Graham visited Kyiv alongside Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal from Connecticut last summer.
During the meeting held on the 134th day of the conflict, President Zelenskyy, as per his office, “called upon the senators to support the decision to provide Ukraine with modern air defense systems.”
“First and foremost, we urge you to rally support in Congress for supplying Ukraine with modern air defense systems,” Zelenskyy expressed. “We must ensure such a level of aerial security that our people are not afraid to live in Ukraine.”
President Biden recently expressed his belief that now is not the appropriate time for Ukraine joins NATO.
“I don’t think Ukraine is ready for NATO membership,” Biden stated during an interview with CNN. “I have dedicated significant efforts to maintaining the unity of NATO because I firmly believe that Putin’s primary objective, since he deployed 185,000 troops into Ukraine, has been to weaken NATO… So, it is crucial to preserve the cohesion of NATO.”
Biden further elaborated, “I don’t think there is a consensus within NATO regarding Ukraine’s immediate inclusion into the NATO alliance during an ongoing conflict.”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, the organization’s top civilian official, confirmed that during the upcoming two-day summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, NATO leaders will focus on assisting in the modernization of Ukraine’s armed forces, establishing a new high-level consultation forum, and reaffirming their commitment to Ukraine eventually becoming a NATO member. However, membership negotiations are not expected to begin in the near future.
Stoltenberg emphasized that NATO leaders will “reaffirm that Ukraine will become a member of NATO” and will unite in determining how to bring Ukraine closer to achieving its goal.
When asked about the timing or process of Ukraine’s potential NATO membership, Secretary-General Stoltenberg emphasized that the priority at present is to ensure Ukraine’s resilience and success. The United States, Germany, and certain other allies hold the view that Ukraine should not be extended an invitation while it remains engaged in a conflict, as it could potentially escalate the situation with Russia.
NATO initially made a commitment in 2008 that Ukraine would eventually become a member, but there has been limited progress on this front since then.