GOP senator backs Biden’s refusal to send military to evacuate Americans in Ukraine

Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy (R) on Sunday voiced his support for President Biden’s refusal to send U.S. troops into Ukraine to evacuate Americans in the country if Russia invades, saying people should use common sense.

Fox News Channel anchor Sandra Smith asked Cassidy if the U.S. should be doing more about the situation while he appeared on “Fox News Sunday,” noting Biden’s recent remarks.

“I agree with the president 100 percent,” Cassidy said. “Use some common sense. We should not be endangering our soldiers or Marines, etc. because somebody decides not to evacuate until after the fact. Get out. If there’s a pending invasion, use common sense. Leave.”

During an interview last week with NBC News anchor Lester Holt, Biden adamantly stated that the U.S. would not be sending military forces to rescue Americans in Ukraine if Russia invades.

“That’s a world war when Americans and Russia start shooting at one another,” he said.

During his interview on Sunday, Cassidy, who sits on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, also said the U.S. must ramp up its own energy production to replace what may be lost in the event that Russian-made energy is cut off due to sanctions.

“We must resume using America’s resources, ramping them up in order to provide or replace that which Russia would provide,” said Cassidy.

“Right now this administration is putting in amber, the ability of the U.S. to expand its energy supply. That’s why we’re paying more for gas and natural gas, it’s why the EU is. We have to ease that not only for ourselves, but also for the EU.”

Noting that Cassidy and a few other Republican senators met with the EU’s energy commissioner, Smith asked if any commitments were made that the U.S. would be able to meet Europe’s energy demands in the future.

Cassidy stated that senators are unable to promise things that the White House “slow walks.” He argued that the White House’s efforts to lower carbon intensity were indirectly putting European allies at threat of an economic downturn.