During an interview with reactionary commentator Glenn Beck on Saturday, Republican candidate for president in 2024 Ron DeSantis reportedly voiced opposition to Ukraine joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
DeSantis, who currently serves as the governor of Florida, staked out his position on NATO membership for Ukraine, a key sticking point for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who initiated the Ukraine invasion in February 2022, during an appearance on The Glenn Beck Program podcast.
“I don’t think NATO membership is in our interest, to me. All that would do was add more obligations to us, so if you’re adding more obligations, then what are benefits that we’re getting in return?” DeSantis said to Beck.
The United States has provided more than $76 billion in aid to Ukraine, but DeSantis argued that money would be better spent combating China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific.
“No blank check. Nothing to where we’re just doing—we want to bring it to a conclusion. And whether we use any of our resources to do it or not, hopefully you wouldn’t have to do that, but if you do, it’s going to be contingent on bringing it to the conclusion that we want to see,” he continued.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a military alliance between Europe, the United States, and Canada intended to deter prospective enemy attacks.
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has divided the Republican presidential field, with some candidates advocating for the United States to remain out of the conflict, calling for a reduction in aid, and suggesting that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should be willing to make concessions to end the conflict.
The potential NATO membership of Ukraine continues to face obstacles, with even its most ardent supporters stating that corruption must be eradicated before Kyiv can join the alliance.
[READ MORE: DeSantis Suspends Four Schools From Major Scholarship After Ties to Chinese Communist Party Revealed]
