OPINION:
While the Commander-in-Chief doesn’t know how to follow through after he draws a big red line (i.e. Syria), the vice president on Wednesday appeared open to the idea of arming Ukraine in its battle with Russia.
Joe Biden accused Russia of violating international laws by its “brutal” aggression in Ukraine — and said the debate over whether to provide lethal defensive aid, including anti-tank missiles and other heavy arms, is “worth having.”
“Helping Ukraine against Russian aggression is critical to checking further aggression down the road,” the vice president told an audience at the Washington think tank the Brookings Institution.
“The United States sanctions on Russia must and will remain in place until the Minsk agreement is fully implemented,” he said.
Biden said Russia has mounted a “hyper-aggressive” state-sponsored propaganda program for more than a year.
So far, the United States is only provided training for Ukraine’s national guard and delivering “non-lethal” equipment, such as military vehicles.
Still, Biden said the U.S. still needs to “cooperate” with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“It makes sense to cooperate where there’s a clear mutual interest as long as you’re not being asked to back off,” Biden said.
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