In Germany, Bush to call for more support for Ukraine

Jeb Bush (R) will call on the United States to take tougher actions against Russia in a major foreign policy speech Tuesday in Germany.

The former Florida governor has argued that sanctions aren’t enough to limit Russia’s aggression and that it is necessary to take further steps.

{mosads}Bush’s speech is intended to draw a stark contrast with President Obama, who has argued against providing arms to Ukraine.

“Russia must respect the sovereignty of all of its neighbors,” Bush will say, according to prepared remarks provided by his political team. “And who can doubt that Russia will do what it pleases if its aggression goes unanswered? Our alliance, our solidarity and our actions are essential if we want to preserve the fundamental principles of our international order.”

Bush’s speech will come before German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s economic council.

The likely GOP presidential candidate is on a five-day swing through Germany, Poland and Estonia — a trip meant to bolster his foreign policy bona fides.

Upon returning to the U.S., Bush will officially launch his bid for the Republican presidential nomination on Monday from Miami.

Bush will speak in Germany just a day after Obama, who was in that country attending international meetings on Monday.

Obama and his G-7 counterparts said they would maintain economic sanctions against Russia and pledged to ramp-up those sanctions if Russian President Vladimir Putin meddles in the region.

Bush is also expected to stress the importance of fostering deeper economic ties between the U.S. and Europe, and will call for the completion of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership — a trade deal between the United States and European Union.

“The EU and the United States have a common interest in the steady opening of markets across the world,” Bush will say in his Tuesday speech. “What keeps that progress steady are standards and rules that are modern, transparent, and fair. And that doesn’t happen by itself.”