Appearing on the Fox News Channel, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called Russia's President Vladimir Putin’s armed forces “a third-rate military power.”
“I think it's important to point out, I mean you know the fear of kind of Russia going into NATO countries and all that and steamrolling you know, that is not even come close to happening. I think they've shown themselves to be a third rate military power. I think they've suffered tremendous, tremendous losses,” said Gov. DeSantis.
Gov. DeSantis, who is expected to challenge former President Donald Trump in the 2024 Republican presidential primary race, doesn’t believe that Russia poses as much of a threat to the U.S. as China does, even with the invasion of Ukraine.
“I got to think that the people in Russia are probably disapproving of what's going on, i don't think they can speak up about it for obvious reasons, so I think Russia has been really really wounded here and i don't think that they are the same threat to our country, even though they're hostile, i don't think they're on the same level as the china,” added DeSantis.
DeSantis’s remarks come on the heals of increased chatter that he is mounting a run for president, and has been focusing more and more on federal issues, and opining on foreign relations whenever he is given the opportunity to do so.
DeSantis’s inauguration speech in early January was laden with federal talking points, leaving those who attended the swearing in to think that his inauguration was just a dress rehearsal for when he wins the White House.
DeSantis downplays Russia's threat to NATO countries:
"The fear of Russia going into NATO countries and all that, and steamrolling, that has not even come close to happening."pic.twitter.com/12cIv62neV
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) February 20, 2023
