Two months after former Utah Sen. Mitt Romney left Capitol Hill, he broke his silence on X with a statement alluding to President Donald Trump’s negotiations with Ukraine.
He began, “All know that a strong America is the best ally of peace.”
“The world’s avaricious dictators of Russia, China, North Korea and Iran are hesitant to invade and brutalize in the face of 1) American strength and 2) American resolve,” Romney wrote. “Our tepid response to Russia’s invasion of Georgia and Crimea surely contributed to Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine.”
Russia invaded Georgia in August 2008, when George W. Bush was president, and invaded Crimea in February 2014, when Barack Obama was president.
Romney continued by saying he believes that the U.S. is strongest when it has the most allies.
“We must not let economic squabbles fray the bonds of our alliances,” he said. “American resolve is greatest when we stand with the victims of oppression and invasion.”
Referencing the U.S.‘s initial reaction to Russia invading Ukraine, and pointing out the current rift between European countries and the U.S. on the war, Romney said, “America — together with Europe — rallied to give Ukraine the weapons and aid to defend itself."
“Three years later, Russia continues its brutal assault. We must not let personal squabbles weaken our resolve to stand with the freedom fighters and to oppose the authoritarian aggressors,” Romney wrote.
He continued, “Lasting peace will only be achieved if America demonstrates strength and resolve and if Ukraine is certain that it will not be invaded again. Anything short of that would elicit only temporary celebration; it would open the door to global conflicts that we may be unable to contain.”