Marco Rubio says time is not on Ukraine’s side

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is suggesting there may be a time limit on the thus far robust support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

In comments to the Hudson Institute Wednesday, the Florida Republican described a conflict that has become a war of attrition, one that may ultimately be a tough sell not just for the world, but for the new Congress.

“I think every time politicians go to the well on that, it’s going to get harder and harder and harder to get the votes. And we may see the first sort of indication of that in the new Congress. I’m sure (the new members) have heard from their constituents a lot, ‘Why are we spending all this money on someone else’s war?’”

Rubio noted it would be tough to “get the votes necessary for $30, $40, $50 billion in aid every four or five months or six months,” adding that the same discussions are likely happening in European countries also.

“The people of those countries are saying to themselves: ‘We have a lot of problems here at home that we need to deal with. We can’t continue to write $60 billion checks every six months. We’re on the Ukrainians’ side. We wish them the best. But we can’t continue to do it.’”

Indeed, Hungary just vetoed a European Union aid package this week, as reported by The Associated Press. And France, for its part, has already taken the position that security guarantees for Russia are essential, a non-starter for Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Rubio described a war of attrition that favored the Russian position, even as he expects negotiations ultimately.

“Neither side in this battle can achieve victory as they have defined it. In the case of Ukraine, at least publicly, their definition of victory is to drive the Russians out past their border back into Russia and recapture everything, including Crimea. They militarily do not have the capability to do that. The Russian definition of victory is to gain control over a substantial part of the eastern part of that country and hold on to Crimea. They don’t have the military capability to do that.”

Rubio noted that Russia has moved to retrench, but will continue to “struggle” nonetheless. Vladimir Putin’s bet, meanwhile, is on Western powers’ interest in the proxy war waning.

“The Russians at this point, at least conventionally, are in no position to invade any country, not to mention expand their hold on Ukraine. I think what Putin’s counting on is for the support of the West to Ukraine to begin to wane,” Rubio contended.

“The suffering of the people of Ukraine will continue to grow as the Russians inflict damage on their electric grid. And the winter will change the battlefield in favor of the Russians,” the Senator added.