Republicans troubled by ongoing talks to revive Iran nuclear deal: 'Russia should not be at any table'
FOX NewsDec 09, 2021
The Facts
Had the US provided Ukraine with weapons sooner, Russia would "probably never" have invaded the nation, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said on Fox News Sunday.
"Ukraine was craving the ability to defend themselves," he said. "Had we moved the weapons to Ukraine earlier, that they could defend themselves, it would have saved thousands of lives and probably the decision of Putin not to enter."
The Spin
Republican narrative
McCarthy is right to speak out. Biden was too soft on Putin, and help came too little, too late. He should've taken a hawkish stance and sent Ukraine the weapons they needed before Putin invaded. With the right deterrence, this tragedy could've been avoided.
Democratic narrative
McCarthy is hypocritical. In 2019 he fought hard to oppose Trump's impeachment for using military aid to blackmail Ukraine; and now he says Biden didn't do enough to arm Ukraine? Biden has committed over $1B in security assistance in the past year alone; more weapons clearly wouldn't have deterred Putin once his mind was set on war.