Republican leaders failed to challenge Trump on weak Russian response

Editor:

Republicans, like Elise Stefanik, the third-ranked Republican in the House of Representative, are complaining that President Joe Biden was weak and that weakness contributed to Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Let’s review what we know.

We know that Republicans eliminated references to arming Ukraine in their 2016 GOP platform, giving solace to the Russian government’s takeover of Crimea. We know that former President Trump gave Russia highly classified Israel secrets. We know that former President Trump held secret meetings with Russian leaders. We know that former President Trump, in Helsinki, sided with Russia over U.S. intelligence reports.

We know that former President Trump abandoned the Kurds, giving intelligence and propaganda to Russia. We know that former President Trump pressed the G-7 leaders, at their meeting in Aug. 2019, to rescind sanctions imposed on Russia because of its annexation on Crimea. We know that former President Trump withheld needed military aid to Ukraine for Mr. Trump’s personal benefit, in violation of U.S. laws.

We know that former President Trump was repeatedly told in person and in written intelligence reports that U.S. intelligence believed that Russia paid Afghans to kill American soldiers, which he ignored.

Republicans like, Elise Stefanik, were enablers and acquiesced if not outright cheered and applauded this appeasement to Russia. Meanwhile, President Biden has rebuilt NATO alliances and imposed stiff sanctions to cripple Russia’s ability to wage war and make further incursions.

I would say the facts and evidence show that President Biden is a strong leader who will not give in to dictators.

William Fine

Brockport