Sen. Blunt on Putin's threats: We can't build policy around it
Republican Sen. Roy Blunt discusses Russia's threats in the context of its war with Ukraine on 'Special Report.'
Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., said Russian President Vladimir Putin made a "big mistake" in invading Ukraine and said he was losing the first part of the war on "Special Report" Monday.
"This is a big mistake for Putin, and he needs to figure out how to back away from that mistake," Blunt told host Bret Baier. The senator said Russia's failure in Ukraine to land a significant win as they did during the Crimean war was a sign for China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission. (Wang Ye/Xinhua via Getty Images)
"The Chinese need to be watching that as well," he said. "The Chinese need to be watching that as well. The world is not as docile as either the Russians or the Chinese think they are. And we're seeing how much people prize their own freedom."
Blunt also said that the U.S. should not be intimidated by Russia's threats.
Vladimir President Vladimir Putin ordered Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine only eight months after TIME magazine billed President Biden as ready to take on the Russian leader. (Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
"There's a buildup that started when in 2014 the Russians were able to just seize territory in Eastern Ukraine and in and seize the Crimea region," he said.
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"I think we can't be intimidated by what Putin says he might do. There are things he can't do as well. You know, he doesn't want to start a nuclear war. He may use chemical weapons. I think he's done that before, but we can't build our policy around that."
Map depicting Ukraine, Russia, Crimea, the Donbas region held by pro-Russian forces, and nearby countries. Ian Jopson, Fox Digital (Fox News)
"I think our policy is to continue to give the Ukrainians everything they need as quick as we can get it to them. They're not asking us to help them fight. They're asking us to give them what they need to fight. And so far they've been doing a tremendous job of pushing back."
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