State of the Union: Interview With Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH)

Interview

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Sure, Dana.

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Well, Dana, our work here is obviously meeting with those who are active in intelligence and also meeting with our service members who are active in the support of Ukraine, including our NATO allies and our partners.

They're saying, of course, that -- what you're hearing, is the successes on the battlefield in Ukraine are real. The support that we're providing them is instrumental, as we look at the -- what really is the battle line for democracy. Also, what's important here is that Germany, as they're continuing to rev up, to provide tanks to Ukraine, are going to make a real big difference on the battlefield.

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Well, one thing I can tell you is, Russia is not going to win either.

The battle over Ukraine is really Russia, since they have undertaken this war of aggression, this illegal war, where it's already been identified, of the criminal activity, where they're killing children and elderly and women, the mass graves that are happening, where they're bombing people's residences.

This is a war that Russia is not winning. And they're not winning because Ukraine realizes that they're standing up for democracy, they're fighting for their country. And as they continue to do so, the United States' assistance and certainly the assistance of our NATO allies and partners are making a huge turnout for the battlefield.

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Well, as you know, Dana, we gave people notice that they should get out of Russia. And, certainly, I would continue to encourage people to do so.

This is not unexpected, in that Russia is acting as an illegal state at this point. There are no laws or rules or no international norms that they are following.

Certainly, the Biden administration should continue its efforts to negotiate and to try to get the release of this journalist. But, overall, people should be very cautious about staying in Russia.

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Well, it's certainly not inevitable.

We're certainly seeing here the successes on the battlefield. I truly believe that the United States and our NATO allies are going to provide them the weapons that are going to be necessary for the capabilities they need on the battlefield. And they're going to be certainly up to the battle to continue it.

I think, though, it is true that Russia has taken advantage of the vacuum of when we stepped out of Afghanistan and the feeling that this administration would not step up. I think the fact that this administration has provided the lethal aid was very unexpected to Russia. I think Russia thought that they would, first off, be met by the Ukrainian people in a surrender.

But the second thing is, I don't think they'd have -- they expected they'd have the congressional push that has occurred with this administration or this administration responding. The weapons that are on the fields in Ukraine that are helping them fight for democracy, Putin did not think he'd be fighting against. And that's the difference.

And that's what's going to turn this conflict on the side of democracy.

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There's a number of people I think that should just stop the speculation.

We had the ranking member, former chairman of the House Armed Services Committee saying they won't win back Crimea. I think statements like that are very irresponsible. I think everyone should just continue the path that we're on. We know that they're making tremendous headway and certainly encourage Ukraine.

This is the front line of democracy. Putin has said this is not about Ukraine. This is about Eastern Europe. This is about NATO. This is about our allies. And President Xi of China and Putin together said this is a result of their trying to turn back 100 years. This is authoritarianism vs. democracy. We all need to be on the side of democracy.

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Well, I really liked what the senator was just saying, in that our laws should not be bent to target someone.

It really is unfortunate that you're seeing in numbers on the people on the left, in op-eds, even ones that have been written and have appeared on CNN's Web site, celebrating that the president is being charged, and then listing a long list of grievances that have nothing to do with this case that actually involves circumstances well before he was president.

So I think -- I think, really, we ought to all just let the criminal process play out. I do think this is politically motivated. I think, certainly, the senator was saying that, when this comes out and we finally get to see what's happening, if this is politically motivated, this will be a shame on our criminal justice system.

It's one thing when you have a cancel culture. It's another when you have a cancel criminal justice system. And I hope that we're certainly not turning to that.

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Yes, actually, my daughter was there.

The issue, I think, is also, though, Dana -- and I think this is one that we need to address -- the story is always the same. We hear that people learned that these people were a threat, and then they take these actions. We certainly need to do more to intervene.

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Thank you, Dana.

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