As peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia appear to be underway, Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R) is urging European leaders to adopt a “much stronger message” toward Russian President Vladimir Putin. Speaking from the Munich Security Conference, Rep. Crenshaw expressed frustration over what he sees as Europe's lackluster commitment to supporting Ukraine.
“If we want to win, if we want a better outcome for Ukraine, at the end of these peace talks, you need to be uncomfortably aggressive,” Rep. Crenshaw told CBS’s “Face the Nation” with Margaret Brennan.
The Texas Republican, part of a bipartisan delegation that met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the summit, emphasized that European countries should be contributing more to Ukraine’s defense.
“Europeans send aid, right? They send weapons. They do the same things we do, they match it barely. My argument to them is you shouldn't be matching it. You should be doubling it. You should be tripling it. It's your continent,” he argued.
He also pointed to Zelenskyy’s recent call for a European army, suggesting that while NATO remains a key security alliance, European nations need to take greater initiative in their collective defense strategy.
“The Europeans need to come together, in my opinion, and have just a much stronger message towards Putin, instead of finger wagging at us about what we're willing to give and not give in a peace deal,” he added.
With President Donald Trump (R) signaling efforts to end the war, Rep. Crenshaw believes Ukraine deserves a leading role in the negotiations, praising the country’s resilience.
“The Ukrainians have earned it. The Ukrainians have impressed everybody for the last three years. They've fought valiantly and courageously. They've earned my respect. They earned that seat at the table,” he asserted.
