Ron DeSantis’ Ukraine war stance sharpens divide between US isolationists and hawks
- Likely presidential candidate Ron DeSantis said protecting Ukraine is not ‘vital’ for the United States
- Remark aligns DeSantis with Donald Trump in opposing the establishment Republican policy of backing Kyiv
The 2024 Republican presidential race could become a contest between isolationists and foreign policy hawks after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis sent his strongest signal yet he does not believe support for Ukraine is in the US national interest, analysts, strategists and campaign aides said.
The war in Ukraine provides a new battleground for declared and as yet undeclared Republican 2024 hopefuls that could shape how the party engages with the world for years to come, those people said.
On the one side are former president Donald Trump and DeSantis, who is testing the waters for a White House run.
Although the governor has not yet officially declared himself a candidate, he and Trump are the clear front runners in the Republican race. Both have dismissed US support for Ukraine and other allies as a waste of resources and said that leaders should pay more attention to issues at home.
On the other side, a slew of declared and likely Republican challengers – including former UN ambassador Nikki Haley and Trump’s former vice-president Mike Pence – have portrayed themselves as steadfast defenders of Ukraine, willing to stand up to US foes including Russia and China.