More gop leaders slam desantis for calling ukraine war a ‘territorial dispute’

US NewsMore GOP leaders slam DeSantis for calling Ukraine war a ‘territorial dispute’By Ronny ReyesPublishedMarch 19, 2023, 7:56 p.m. ETGov. Ron DeSantis' perspective that helping Ukraine

against Russia's invasion is not a "vital" US interest has many people questioning him.AP Photo/Ron JohnsonExplore MoreDouglas Murray: Putin’s playbook is the same a quarter-century later — 

peace talks are pointlessWe’re training Ukraine’s brave F-16 pilots — here’s what they need to keep fightingWhy Taiwan fears outside the world will abandon it if China invades

More high-profile Republicans have come out against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ argument that helping Ukraine against Russia’s invasion is not a “vital” US interest — warning that pulling aid

could set off a “negative chain of events” across the globe.

US Sen. Mike Rounds on Sunday flatly rejected DeSantis’ characterization of the war as a “territorial dispute,” arguing that the invasion’s outcome has bigger global repercussions.

“I don’t think it’s a territorial dispute,” Rounds said on NBC’s Meet the Press. “While he [Vladimir Putin] may be taking territory, and it’s technically accurate to say that there’s

territory being taken. This is bigger than that for us.

Rounds warned that pulling support from Ukraine would send a message to the Kremlin and leaders in Beijing that the US would no longer be a player on the world stage, which the senator said

could have long-standing consequences.

“This is something that I think we have to stand strong on,” Rounds added.

DeSantis made the controversial comments in an interview with Fox News host Tucker Carlson last Monday, declaring that “becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine

and Russia is not” of vital interest to the US. 

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu also condemned DeSantis for his view, claiming the Florida governor is just playing partisan politics in his expected bid for presidency come 2024.

AlsoRon DeSantis says helping Ukraine fend off Russia not a vital US interest

In an op-ed piece for the New York Times on Saturday, Sununu, who is considering his own presidential bid, wrote: “Simply opposing aid to Ukraine because President Biden supports it is not a

viable foreign policy. To abandon Ukraine would set off a negative chain of events for U.S. interests domestically and abroad.”

Sununu claimed that DeSantis’ stance represents a split in the Republican Party on what America’s future global policy should be.

“Some in the Republican Party have lost their moral compass on foreign policy, as evidenced by former president Donald Trump, who once called Putin’s invasion ‘genius’ and ‘savvy,’” he

wrote. “As Republicans, we should support freedom, not abandon it.”

DeSantis had also earned the scorn last week of fellow Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who agreed that the war in Ukraine was not about territory, but rather about Russia expanding its

influence.

“It’s not a territorial dispute in the sense that any more than it would be a territorial dispute if the United States decided that it wanted to invade Canada or take over the Bahamas,”

Rubio said on the Hugh Hewitt Show Tuesday. “Just because someone claims something doesn’t mean it belongs to them.” 

Along with Rubio, Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley took a shot at DeSantis, comparing him to former President Donald Trump.

“President Trump is right when he says Gov. DeSantis is copying him — first in his style, then on entitlement reform, and now on Ukraine,” Haley, who served as Trump’s ambassador to the

United Nations, said in a statement.  

Filed underRon DeSantisrussiaukraineukraine war3/19/23Read NextMiami Beach orders curfew after two fatal shootings, flood...Trending Nowin US NewsThis story has been shared 62,325

times.62,325Bernie Kerik, former NYPD Commissioner known as 'America's Cop' after 9/11, dead at 69This story has been shared 49,041 times.49,041Burger King employee who worked last-minute

shift in graduation clothes after his high school ceremony gets $22K in donationsThis story has been shared 27,518 times.27,518TikTok influencer files lawsuit in drowning death of her

3-year-old son TriggThis story has been shared 18,709 times.18,709Private equity bigwig shocks courtroom with Alzheimer's diagnosis during bombshell NYC divorce trial: 'I’m a lowly business

man'Most CommentedJoin the conversationThis story has 3K comments.3K‘60 Minutes’ anchor ripped for 'angry, unhinged' commencement speech criticizing TrumpThis story has 2K comments.2KFrench

President Macron shoved in the face by his wife during ‘squabble’ in bizarre caught-on-video momentThis story has 1.9K comments.1.9KTrump honors America's fallen, takes another swipe at

Biden in Memorial Day speech at Arlington CemeteryNow on Page Six‘Unreal’ Bethenny Frankel, 54, turns up the heat in itty-bitty bikini ahead of SI Swimsuit 2025 runway showTodd Chrisley all

smiles on shopping trip with daughter Savannah in first sighting after prison releaseKylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet passionately make out at Knicks playoff gameSee AllVideoShoulder

inflammation hampering key Yankees hurler | The Injury ReportNow on Decider‘And Just Like That’ Season 3 Opens With Miranda Sleeping With A Virgin Nun Named Mary — Played By Rosie O’Donnell!

 Sarah Silverman Kisses Joy Behar On The Mouth During ‘The View’: “How’s Her Breath?”‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 Ending Explained: Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann Explain Why They

Made [SPOILER’S] Death “Worse”The Steamiest TV and Movie Sex Scenes of 2025 (So Far)See AllCoversToday's CoverFront CoverBack CoverFlip for back coverBrowse Covers