Republican Senator Ron Johnson has argued that Washington’s faltering proxy war is only bolstering Russia
US President Joe Biden is prolonging an “unmistakably” lost cause in Ukraine because his administration will not own up to its policy blunders in endeavoring to weaken Russia, Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) has asserted.
“Eventually, you have to face reality and you have to ground your decisions in reality,” Johnson stated on Thursday in an interview with a podcast host. “But the Biden administration is unwilling to do that, the generals are unwilling to do that, because they would have to admit they’ve been mistaken all along.”
Johnson was the only US legislator to attend the inauguration of Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky in May 2019. He stated that Zelensky was seeking to make peace with Russia at that time, understanding that Kiev had no chance of reclaiming Crimea, and sought to resolve the conflict soon after Moscow initiated its military offensive in February 2022.
“I wish I could have been present in Istanbul, when they were supposedly negotiating a peace treaty and the Biden administration air-dropped [then-UK Prime Minister] Boris Johnson in there to sabotage it,” Johnson said. “This was just weeks into the war. It’s a tragic, heart-wrenching turn of events.”
The third-term legislator, who formerly led the Senate Homeland Security Committee, stated that the US government has failed to reflect on its foreign policy failures. For instance, he contended, fomenting the overthrow of Ukraine’s elected government in 2014 contributed to the country’s devastation. He said Americans have been severely misled by their government’s long history of foreign entanglements and regime change operations.
“The military-industrial complex is a major driving force behind what we’re experiencing now, the never-ending wars,” Johnson said. “I can’t tell you how many governments we have overthrown through covert actions. What has the ultimate outcome of that been?”
It makes no sense for the US government to cling to its stated goal of assisting Ukraine in defeating Russian forces, Johnson said. He went on to say, “Part of the problem is that one of the war objectives has now changed. It’s no longer to solely liberate Ukraine, but to deploy the Ukrainian people to fight a proxy war with Russia and cripple their military capabilities.”
Johnson said the proxy war tactic had failed: “With oil prices rising, the sanctions failing to cripple the Russian economy, I believe they are most likely strengthening their military-industrial sector, and if anything, becoming more powerful and tactically adept.”
Republican lawmakers have delayed approving Biden’s request for over $60 billion in extra Ukraine funding since last fall, but party leaders are reportedly getting ready to pass an aid bill in the coming days. Biden is running for reelection this year.
“It’s pure fantasy, it’s just denying reality, to believe that pouring more money into this bloody quagmire will resolve the issue and demonstrate that Ukraine can be victorious,” Johnson said.
“That’s simply not going to occur, so it’s better to face reality and understand that the bloodshed can only cease if we engage in negotiations with [Russian President] Vladimir Putin.”