Immediately after President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia would be invading Ukraine, an outpour of support for the country flooded social media. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle expressed their disdain at Putin’s response, assuring that the United States would provide support. Both Florida Rep. Val Demings (D) and Florida Senator Marco Rubio (R), although political rivals heading into the 2022 midterm election, have commented on the attack, extending assistance to Ukraine during this time.
On social media, Rep. Demings shared that “the ordinary Russian citizens who are risking their lives and freedom to protest their own authoritarian government’s criminal war are demonstrating extraordinary bravery.” “Praying for their safety tonight as well as the safety of the people of Ukraine,” Demings added.
The ordinary Russian citizens who are risking their lives and freedom to protest their own authoritarian government’s criminal war are demonstrating extraordinary bravery. Praying for their safety tonight as well as the safety of the people of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/L6spITRspR
— Rep. Val Demings (@RepValDemings) February 25, 2022
Senator Rubio provided further comments in an appearance on FOX News with Sean Hannity.
In the interview, Rubio was asked what the best way would be to handle the present situation.
As speculated by some, Rubio expressed that political pundits have mentioned that this would’ve been avoided if NATO had not allowed Ukraine to enter NATO.
Admitting that he believed Ukraine was not going to join NATO, Rubio added that “Putin laid out his conditions… one of those conditions was he wanted every country that joined since 1997 out of NATO.”
Calling this virtually impossible to accomplish, “he’s telegraphing to you what his intent is.”
“Oil and natural gas” give Russia leverage, said Rubio, adding that “to hear Joe Biden say ‘it’s not our goal to disrupt the supply of Russian oil in the marketplace'" was disappointing because "it's not to disrupt it. it's to displace it."
President Joe Biden (D) held a press conference after the attack, assuring that he was not interested in speaking to Putin. He has also responded by enacting sanctions against Russia and expressing that "Putin is the aggressor."
