McConnell Takes Another Shot At Trump With Ukraine Comment
Senate Republican Mitch McConnell has taken another swipe at former President Donald Trump, indirectly condemning his stance on the origins of the Ukraine war. McConnell argued that dismissing Russia’s sole responsibility in launching the invasion “reflects a gross misunderstanding of the nature of negotiations and leverage.”
In a statement marking the third year since the conflict began, McConnell made it clear that Russian President Vladimir Putin is fully accountable for the ongoing “human catastrophe.” He warned that even if Ukraine were to disarm, “Putin’s aims would not stop with Kyiv.”
“Mistaking this fact is as embarrassing as it is costly,” the Kentucky senator stated.
He also criticized President Joe Biden’s administration for its “shameful hesitation and half-measures” in countering Russian aggression, suggesting that a lackluster response only emboldens adversaries.
While McConnell avoided naming Trump directly, his message was pointed. He said that to overlook America’s goal of defeating Russian aggression would be “even more disgraceful.”
“Refusing to acknowledge Russia as the undeniable and unprovoked aggressor is more than an unseemly moral equivalency — it reflects a gross misunderstanding of the nature of negotiations and leverage,” McConnell reiterated.
The remarks came shortly after Trump claimed that Ukraine initiated the war and referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “a dictator without elections.”
McConnell, who leads the Senate’s Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, emphasized that any resolution to the war must protect Ukrainian sovereignty, deter future Russian threats, and uphold U.S. global standing.
“America is right to seek an end to this war,” he said, “but an end that fails to constrain Russian ambition, ensure Ukrainian sovereignty, or strengthen American credibility with both allies and adversaries is no end at all.”
He cautioned that settling for what he described as a “hollow peace” would only encourage future aggression.
McConnell also addressed broader concerns, referring to an “axis of aggressors from Beijing to Moscow,” which he said includes North Korea and Iran. He warned that these nations aim to exploit the conflict in Ukraine to weaken American deterrence and increase U.S. vulnerability.
“Without a clear and resolute commitment to the leadership and order that underpins our prosperity and security, America’s adversaries will receive exactly what they hope for,” he said.
McConnell’s comments come amid ongoing health concerns. After stepping down from Senate leadership last year, the 82-year-old senator has faced several medical incidents, including falls that prompted the use of a wheelchair.
One recent incident occurred when McConnell stumbled on a stairway after voting in the Senate. Fox News correspondent Chad Pergram reported, “Fox confirms. McConnell falls down Senate stairs after voting to confirm Scott Turner as HUD Secretary. Unclear about injuries. But Fox is told he appears to be ok.”
According to his office, McConnell’s use of a wheelchair is a “precautionary measure,” noting that the senator continues to work as normal despite lingering effects from childhood polio.
“Senator McConnell is fine,” a spokesperson said, adding that his condition “will not disrupt his regular schedule of work.”
Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, who assisted McConnell after the fall, told reporters, “I think he just slipped on the steps. I was right behind him and helped him get back up, and he walked on his own power to lunch.”
Though McConnell initially walked away from the incident, he was later seen using a wheelchair again.
In a separate incident last December, he reportedly fell in the Capitol after a lunch with colleagues, suffering a facial injury and wrist sprain.
Following the most recent fall, Senate GOP Whip John Thune confirmed McConnell was “fine” and back in his office, though he declined to comment further, deferring questions to McConnell’s staff.