DeSantis Says ‘War Criminal’ Putin Should Be ‘Held Accountable’ Days After Saying Ukraine Not a ‘Vital’ U.S. Interest

Breitbart ^ | 22 Mar 2023 | JORDAN DIXON-HAMILTON

[conservative98]

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis toughened his stance on Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling Putin a “war criminal” who should be “held accountable” for the invasion of Ukraine, just days after he claimed the Ukraine war is not a “vital national interest.”

DeSantis angered Republican hawks, Never Trumpers, and neocons less than two weeks ago when he characterized the Ukraine-Russia conflict as a “territorial dispute” that is not a “vital” U.S. interests.

DeSantis told Fox News’s Tucker Carlson:

While the U.S. has many vital national interests — securing our border, addressing the crisis of readiness within our military, achieving energy security and independence, checking the economic, cultural, and military power of the Chinese Communist Party — becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia is not one of them.

After DeSantis’s initial comments, Never Trumper Adam Kinzinger (IL) dismissed DeSantis as being “in with the crazies,” and former GOP congresswoman Liz Cheney scolded DeSantis for seemingly forgetting “the lessons of Ronald Reagan.”

However, during an interview with Piers Morgan, DeSantis took a tougher position on the Ukraine conflict. In that interview, set to air on Fox Nation on Thursday, DeSantis branded Putin as a “war criminal” and demanded he be “held accountable” for invading Ukraine.

DeSantis also said his critics “mischaracterized” his use of the phrase “territorial dispute.”

“Well, I think it’s been mischaracterized,” DeSantis said when asked if he regretted using that language. “Obviously, Russia invaded (last year) — that was wrong. They invaded Crimea and took that in 2014 — That was wrong.”

DeSantis clarified that his remarks were about the fighting in Ukraine’s eastern border region.

DeSantis told Morgan:

[Boogieman]

“What’s the point of twisting my words...”

Since you were spouting Russian propaganda lies, I thought you were a fan of such fun little games. My mistake.

[BlackbirdSST]

Since you were spouting Russian propaganda lies, I thought you were a fan of such fun little games. My mistake.

Give it a rest. You've been part of this clown show since the beginning. You know you're spouting BS. Go hump someone else's leg.

[cowboyusa]

It was a 90 year project starting with the Traitor fdr. MCCarthy warned.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

What happened to “Innocent until proven guilty in a court of law?” This court isn’t recognized by the USA nor Russia (or even Ukraine). The charge that he moved kids out of a war zone sounds weak—he may have saved their lives? The question is—were the Ukrainian Rebels (Russian Speakers) whom Russia has given citizenship? If they were Ukrainians maybe they should have been sent to Poland or the USA? The war is a mess—NO GOOD GUYS here.

[Sam Gamgee]

sounds like he got the memo

[Sam Gamgee]

sounds like he got the memo