Portrait of Ron DeSantis
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Ron DeSantis on Ukraine

Skeptical of aid (strong)

TL;DR

Ron DeSantis initially framed the Ukraine war as a territorial dispute but later condemned the invasion and called Putin a war criminal.

Key Points

  • He initially described the war in Ukraine as a “territorial dispute” that was not a vital U.S. national security interest in March 2023.

  • Following criticism, he walked back the statement, calling the Russian invasion wrong and labeling President Putin a “war criminal” in subsequent interviews.

  • He has expressed that for the U.S., supporting the Israeli conflict is more critical than the war with Russia over Ukraine.

Summary

Ron DeSantis, as a prospective 2024 Republican presidential candidate, drew significant criticism in March 2023 for initially characterizing Russia's war in Ukraine as merely a “territorial dispute” where U.S. involvement was not a “vital national interest.” He subsequently walked back this description after backlash, stating the initial comments were “mischaracterized” and clarified that Russia’s initial invasion and its 2014 seizure of Crimea were both wrong. In an effort to align more closely with traditional Republican foreign policy stances following the initial controversy, he called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal” and said he should be held accountable.

His evolving position reflects a difficulty within the Republican party regarding the conflict, bridging the populist wing skeptical of foreign entanglements and the traditionalist wing favoring standing up to aggression. DeSantis has consistently expressed skepticism about escalating U.S. involvement, arguing against sending American troops and suggesting a focus on domestic issues like border security. Furthermore, he has at times indicated that other international conflicts, such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, are more critical priorities than the war in Ukraine for U.S. engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ron DeSantis currently condemns Russia's invasion as wrong and has called President Putin a war criminal. However, he has also expressed skepticism about continued deep U.S. entanglement, suggesting a focus on domestic concerns like border security.

Yes, his position evolved after facing significant Republican backlash. He initially used the term "territorial dispute" but later stated that comment was mischaracterized and reaffirmed that Russia was wrong to invade.

He stated that becoming further entangled in the conflict is not a vital U.S. national security priority. He has also specified he would not want to see American troops involved in the fighting.