DeSantis urges ceasefire in Ukraine

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) urged Russia and Ukraine to reach a ceasefire, making the comments during a visit to Japan on a multi-stop international tour. 

“You don’t want to end up in like a [Battle of] Verdun situation, where you just have mass casualties, mass expense and end up with a stalemate,” DeSantis said in a Tokyo interview with outlet Nikkei Asia, making reference to the major World War I battle. 

“It’s in everybody’s interest to try to get to a place where we can have a cease-fire,” DeSantis said. Russia’s war on Ukraine passed its one-year mark earlier this year, and Kyiv is reportedly prepping for a possible spring counteroffensive.

DeSantis stopped in Tokyo and spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as part of a four-country tour to Japan, South Korea, Israel and the United Kingdom to “build on economic relationships Florida has with each country,” his office said.  

The Florida governor sidestepped a question in Japan on Monday about 2024 presidential election polling, and hasn’t formally announced whether he’ll run for higher office. But the international trip adds to speculation that DeSantis is upping his international profile ahead of a possible presidential bid. 

DeSantis in the Nikkei Asia interview also called out countries in Europe, urging them to “do more” when it comes to the conflict in Ukraine. 

“The Europeans really need to do more [on Ukraine]. I mean, this is their continent. The U.S. has provided security for them. And yes, Poland — there’s some that are doing stuff, and that should be appreciated. But Germany, they’re not doing anything,” DeSantis said.

Germany has committed €1.20 billion, or $1.16 billion, in military aid to Ukraine, ranking third behind the United Kingdom and Poland in terms of spending, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. The U.S. has directed more than $75 billion in assistance to Ukraine, which includes humanitarian, financial, and military support, since the war began.

DeSantis had controversially referred to the Russia-Ukraine war as a “territorial dispute,” but later said his comment was “mischaracterized” and called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal.“