Risch on CNN Regarding Russian Aggression on Ukraine’s Border

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today joined Erin Burnett on CNN to discuss Russia’s increasing aggression against Ukraine:

To watch the full interview on YouTube, click here.

On whether U.S. troops will enter Ukraine:

“The U.S. troops are a part of NATO. NATO is a defensive organization, it is not an offensive organization. There is not going to be any attack by U.S. troops or NATO troops on any Russian troops. That would be a very bad engagement and not good for the world by any stretch.

“On the other hand, we and our NATO allies have sent in a considerable amount of armament for the Ukrainians to be able to resist. The Ukrainians militarily are no match for the Russians. The Russians are going to run right over them very quickly in the first day of the battle. But the first day is the best day they’re going to have. They then have to face the Ukrainian people and the resistance movements, and it’s going to turn into a very bloody situation.”

On Russia’s claims that it’s not preparing for an invasion:

“This is a debunked theory that they’re not preparing for an invasion. Whether they’ll invade or not, that’s another question. But that they’re not preparing for an engagement, that’s a debunked theory. That’s false. You don’t move those kinds of troops and do the kinds of things you’re doing without it being a preparation for an engagement. It’s what the Russians do. They lie.”

These remarks have been lightly edited for clarity. To download the interview on Google Drive, click here.

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