Ron DeSantis has been a skeptic of the American mission in Ukraine for some time, and the Hamas attacks on Israel are only giving him more pause.
During an interview on Fox News, the Florida Governor told host Martha MacCallum that the American investment in Israel has been smaller overall than the one on behalf of the Volodymyr Zelenskyy government, and that comparatively speaking, Israel was more important strategically.
“From the inception of the modern state of Israel in the late 1940s, the U.S. has done a little bit over $150 billion in various forms of assistance,” DeSantis said.
He then contrasted that consistent aid to the surge of support for the former Soviet state being invaded by Russia.
“Just in the last year and a half, we’ve done, I think, over $120 billion to Ukraine and they’re now going to ask for another 24 and probably another 100 at the start of the year,” DeSantis said.
He continued to contrast the situations in Israel and Ukraine, arguing U.S. dollars are better spent in Israel.
“Israel has been a longtime ally. We have supported them, but it’s been at levels that have been relatively small in comparison. I think Israel is a unique ally for us. They’re our top ally in the Middle East. They are a country that we can depend on when the chips are down for us,” DeSantis said.
He suggested the same could not be said about Ukraine, and that the “special relationship” between the U.S. and Israel is “something that Congress will be mindful of.”
Though it’s not clear what the American role ultimately could or will be in helping Israel subdue Hamas, DeSantis argued that President Joe Biden’s Ukraine strategy is still vague and could lead to years more of fruitless American support.
“I think the issue with Ukraine is the President has not articulated a clear strategy and people are saying it’s going to go on for another four or five or six years and basically end in a stalemate,” DeSantis said.
If elected President, DeSantis “would try to get that condition that in a way that’s going to be beneficial to our interests.”
“I don’t think it’s in our interest to have this go on for five or six more years,” he added.
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