US Politicians Use Russia’s Invasion to Attack Putin—and Biden – By Jennifer Hlad (Defense One) / February 24, 2022
While most politicians blamed the Russian leader for the attack, some Republicans criticized the U.S. president for failing to deter it.
While most U.S. politicians roundly denounced Russian leader Vladimir Putin for launching the first European war in decades, some also took the opportunity to attack President Joe Biden.
As the first Russian missiles hit Ukraine, Democrats and Republicans quickly called on the Biden administration to enact harsher sanctions against Russia than it previously was willing to levy, and to increase aid to Ukraine. Some Republicans also banged the drum for increased U.S. energy production and more emergency U.S. defense spending.
And some right-wing political leaders and media personalities, including former President Donald Trump and his followers, criticized the commander in chief, claiming Biden had left the United States in a “weak” position that paved the way for Putin’s attack.
Others said the Ukraine invasion was Putin’s fault alone. Many current and former members of national-security related congressional committees, and former GOP national security leaders, steered clear of Biden-blaming in their public responses.
