Ben Carson: Strengthen NATO To Stop Russia’s Expansionism

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The Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson said in an interview with Hugh Hewitt on Saturday that he would not go to war with Russia over its aggression in Ukraine. But he would have handled the matter a lot differently than Obama administration. Carson said that Ukraine was a nuclear country, but they got rid of their nukes with an understanding that United States would back them up.

The U.S. has failed to live up to its promise

The least Washington could do is keep that promise, said Ben Carson. The U.S. should have supplied whatever arms Ukraine needed to maintain their sovereignty. President Obama is still considering sending lethal weapons to Ukraine. Last year, Russia annexed the former Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea. Western countries have also accused Moscow of backing separatists in Ukraine.

The U.S. has failed to live up to its promise. “And what does that say to our other allies around the world?” asked Ben Carson. Though Baltic states are already members of NATO, Carson said they needed to “get involved” with NATO. He believes the best way to stop Russia’s “expansionist ambitions” is to ensure that all the former Soviet states are active members of NATO.

Ben Carson challenges Russia’s membership of the Security Council

Ben Carson is of the view that NATO should strengthen the relationship it already has, so that Vladimir Putin won’t even dare moving into these regions. He said adding Ukraine and Georgia to NATO was a “good idea.” Carson admitted that providing lethal weapons to Ukraine might have sparked a larger war involving the NATO, United States and Russia. But the Russian economy is “constrained fairly considerably” by economic sanctions and falling oil prices. A woeful economic situation would restrain Putin’s ambitions.

Ben Carson also challenged Russia’s status as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. “I don’t think just because you’ve been on the Security Council that you’re entitled to stay there if you don’t act responsibly.” Russia’s UNSC membership should be up for discussion. He said the missile defense plan for Europe that President Obama had scrapped must be revitalized.

 

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