Another Republican denounces DeSantis calling Ukraine war a ‘territorial dispute’

Another Republican has come out against Governor Ron DeSantis’ comments calling the war in Ukraine a ‘territorial dispute’ with which the U.S. should not be involved.

Sen. Mike Rounds, a Republican on the Armed Services Committee, responded to the remarks from the Florida governor, claiming that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine is ‘bigger’ than just the territory in question.

‘I don’t think it’s a territorial dispute,’ Rounds told NBC’s Meet the Press in a Sunday morning interview.

‘While he [Russian President Vladimir Putin] may be taking territory, and it’s technically accurate to say that there’s territory being taken. This is bigger than that for us,’ the South Dakota senator added.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesman Oleg Nikolenko invited DeSantis to visit the war-torn nation after the Florida governor downplayed the conflict with Russia and demanded the federal government focus-in on domestic issues instead.

South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds, member of the Armed Services Committee, said that the Ukraine war is ‘much more’ than a dispute over land in the region

Came after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the conflict a ‘territorial dispute’ and called for the U.S. to stop sending a ‘blank check’ to Ukraine

The potential 2024 presidential candidate’s remarks come at a time when Republicans in Congress are demanding more scrutiny for the $113 billion in aid sent to Kyiv last year. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has said Ukraine should not get a ‘blank check’ from the U.S. 

The Florida governor’s position on American arms and monetary assistance to Ukraine distinguishes him from several high-profile Republicans.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who said in December that aid to Ukraine should be the ‘number one priority’ for the U.S.

Former Vice President Mike Pence recently said there was no room for ‘ Putin apologists’ in the GOP when referencing DeSantis’ comments.

‘We support those who fight our enemies on their shores, so we will not have to fight them ourselves,’ said Pence, who is also weighing a run for president in 2024.

Rounds said Sunday that major issues to the U.S. include combatting any influence from aggressors Russia and China.

‘I focus on what our major issues are,’ Rounds told NBC host Chuck Todd. ‘And number one, China is our near peer competitor. They are our focus right now. Russia is right behind them.’

Many pro-aid for Ukraine Republicans have warned that if the nation falls to Russia – and if the U.S. lets it – than China will be quick to take Taiwan next.

DeSantis said during an interview with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson last week: ‘While the U.S. has many vital national interests – securing our borders, addressing the crisis of readiness within our military, achieving energy security and independence, and checking the economic, cultural, and military power of the Chinese Communist Party – becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia is not one of them.’

‘The Biden administration’s virtual ‘blank check’ funding of this conflict for ‘as long as it takes,’ without any defined objectives or accountability, distracts from our country’s most pressing challenges,’ he added.

Republicans have started to put under scrutiny the amount of aid, financial and arms, that has gone to Ukraine since the war started last year. Pro-Ukraine lawmakers claim that Ukraine cannot all to Russia because Taiwan will then be taken by China next