GOP Rep. Gallagher: 'We Are Continually Behind the Curve Because We Are Afraid of Provoking Putin'

Monday on Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom,” Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI) lamented that the United States had not done enough to assist Ukraine during its war with Russia.

According to Gallagher, “we are continually behind the curve because we are afraid of provoking” Russian President Vladimir Putin. He urged the White House to “make Putin fear” what the United States could do to help Ukraine.

“I hope he does everything possible to rally the West so that President Zelensky can negotiate from a position of strength,” Gallagher emphasized. “That is our job. Our job is to help Zelensky, who is doing a great job rallying support for Ukraine by continuing the supply of lethal assistance despite Putin’s threat. I would also like the president to iron out the Polish MiG 29 fiasco, as well as find a way to take Slovakia up on its offer to provide Russia-made S-300s to Ukraine.”

He continued, “And while we should be wary of escalation, we cannot allow the continual fear of escalation to dominate our thinking. I think that’s why we got into this mess in the first place — because of the continual fear of provoking Putin, whether it was the administration’s delay for over a year of providing lethal assistance, the Biden administration’s unwillingness to impose sanctions, or that MiG fiasco. We are continually behind the curve because we are afraid of provoking Putin. And it’s time we make Putin fear what we are willing to do in defense of Ukraine. Put differently: The best way to avoid World War III is by strengthening our military deterrent and investing in hard power. And that’s the message I hope I hear from President Biden when he travels.”

Follow Trent Baker on Twitter @MagnifiTrent