"Handled with kid gloves": US Republican calls on Trump to take a tougher Russia policy

n-tv "Handled with kid gloves": US Republican calls on Trump to take a tougher Russia policy 3 hours • 2 minutes read More than three years have passed since the start of the major Russian invasion. US President Trump is taking a stance toward Putin that is even drawing criticism within his party. A Republican is now calling on the US President to change course. Don Bacon calls for more US support for Ukraine. Don Bacon takes on Donald Trump. In an op-ed in the "New York Times," the Republican member of the US House of Representatives calls on the President and Congress to do more to engage with Ukraine. Trump and other Republicans have "handled Russia with kid gloves" and "shied away from denouncing Putin's clearly illegal war, even blaming Ukraine for starting it." Bacon summarizes how the conflict simmered for years until it escalated to war. "Moscow's aggression against Ukraine dates back more than a century," explains the member of the House Armed Services Committee. The Republican enumerates what happened during Soviet times and how the situation hasn't improved significantly even with the fall of the Berlin Wall. In 1994, Russia, among others, agreed to recognize Ukraine's borders. Twenty years later, Putin annexed the Crimean peninsula - "the West let Putin's blatant aggression go unpunished, paving the way for his full-scale invasion in February 2022." For Bacon, it's clear: "This history makes it clear that America has a moral obligation to continue providing assistance to Ukraine until Russia commits to fair and just peace negotiations." Ukraine should be included in this process, demands the former U.S. Air Force Brigadier General. Russian victory would have fatal consequences for the USA If territorial concessions to Russia occur, "the USA must be prepared to provide increased security assistance and support a European-led military presence in Ukraine." Otherwise, the Republican warns, this could lead to further refugee flows, trade instability, and rising energy prices. A defeat of Ukraine would "force American consumers to spend more and slow US economic growth." The United States would "lose what makes America a great nation." It is therefore "not only morally right" to continue supporting the invaded country. "A Russian victory in this war would have swift and predictable repercussions far beyond Ukraine's borders. Putin's statements and actions make clear that he wants to restore the old Soviet borders and reclaim the former glory of the Russian Empire." Bacon lists that, after Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, and the Baltic states are on the "tyrant" Putin's wish list. At the same time, this scenario would encourage Iran, China, and North Korea to also "take aggressive measures against their neighbors." Bacon concludes: "Finding peace will not be easy, but we must not fall into the trap of making the wrong choice. It is possible to end the war over Ukraine and maintain our moral clarity by holding Russia accountable, while advancing America's long-term national interests. This is a Ronald Reagan moment, and the stakes for all of us are too high to waver in our resolve."