While criticizing Fox News star Tucker Carlson for questioning why the United States should support Ukraine amid increasing tensions with Russia, Sen. James Risch (R-ID) said on Sunday that “we side always with countries that are democracies.”
In a display of bipartisanship, Risch—the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—appeared alongside committee chairman Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) on Sunday morning’s broadcast of CNN’s State of the Union.
The two lawmakers first revealed on the program that they are close to finalizing legislation to impose economic sanctions on Russia if the country invades neighboring Ukraine. “There is an incredible bipartisan resolve for support of Ukraine and an incredibly strong bipartisan resolve to have severe consequences for Russia if it invades Ukraine and for some cases what it has already done,” Menendez said at one point.
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Eventually, anchor Dana Bash pointed out that some conservatives are not eager to defend Ukraine, even as Russian troops steadily amass along its border. Carlson, she noted, has been especially outspoken on the matter.
“Why is it disloyal to side with Russia but loyal to side with Ukraine?” the Fox News host declared last week. And last month, Carlson claimed that Vladimir Putin just “wants to keep his western border secure” and it’s why it “makes sense” for the Russian president to oppose Ukraine joining NATO.
After airing a clip of Carlson’s pro-Putin remarks, Bash turned to Risch for reaction while also noting the Idaho senator is “one of the top” congressional Republicans on the issue of Ukraine and Russia.
“Well, I think, first of all, when you have a country like Ukraine which wants to move west and look towards western values, that is a democracy,” he proclaimed. “We side always with countries that are democracies.”
Risch further claimed that those “who are saying we shouldn’t be engaged in this at all are going to be singing a very different tune” when gasoline prices go up if Russia does invade Ukraine.
“There are going to be sanctions that will be crippling to Russia,” the conservative lawmaker continued. “It’s going to cripple their oil production, and as we all know, Russia is simply a gas station that is masquerading as a country. It’s going to have a devastating effect on the economy around the world when it comes to the price of gasoline.”
Risch concluded: “If you’re someone that doesn’t care about the price of gasoline or oil, that’s fine, but if you do have a concern about the quality of life for people all over the world, this is something always you have to consider. And you always have to take these things into consideration, particularly when you’re sympathetic and trying to help democratic countries.”
Carlson, for his part, has brushed off and mocked the criticism that he is spouting pro-Putin propaganda—even as Russian media relentlessly promotes him and lawmakers are inundated with calls from Carlson’s viewers spouting his anti-Ukraine talking points.
“I don’t care, if that’s the question,” he told The New York Times last week. “I’ve never been to Russia, I don’t speak Russian. Of course I’m not an agent of Russia.”
Carlson added: “I’m just amused by the idea of defending the territorial integrity of a country most Americans can’t identify on Google Maps.”
