Vivek Ramaswamy, a candidate for the presidential nomination from the Republican Party of the USA, who is in the top three in terms of popularity among Republican supporters, promises to recognize the Russian occupation of Ukraine and block its path to NATO if elected president.
Sorry for the headline. I don't know why they don't just say it's Vivek Ramaswamy.
To that end, I will accept Russian control of the occupied territories and pledge to block Ukraine’s candidacy for NATO in exchange for Russia exiting its military alliance with China. I will end sanctions and bring Russia back into the world market. In this way, I will elevate Russia as a strategic check on China’s designs in East Asia.
This idiot watched Trump sucking off the Russians and thought that was why he was popular, so he's gonna go ahead and double down.
How the Republicans of all people have managed to turn into the PRO RUSSIA party I can hardly fathom. For all their rampant flag waving and mindlessly spouted "Support our troops" drivel, they'd have been the last ones to kowtow to Moscow. In the end of course, I Do understand. It's their fanatical worship of Trump, the idea that anyone who doesn't adore Inmate Number P01135809 is just a traitor, and He of course was willing to give the Russians anything and everything they wanted to keep that kompromat from being released. So, Republicans have just internalized the idea that Russians Good, just because Inmate P01135809 said so.
And of course because Democrats have been supporting anti-Russian policies. Republicans would rather be traitors than collaborate with the Democrats.
I think it's because the current incarnation of Russia is their dream form of governance: a veneer of democracy, over an Oligarchy, where the ones with the most money end up making all the rules. (It's critical to note that most of these Republicans think of themselves as Oligarchs-in-training.) And a populace which is used to all that, and won't question things, at least openly. A place where you can make your opposition just go away by saying they are corrupt, and locking them up in Siberia.
And a place where it you want to whip up some nationalist unity, you just start a war for no good reason. (Well, at least on this point, Dubya gave the Republicans a head start).