Ron Paul: US shouldn’t meddle in Ukraine
Former presidential hopeful and long-time lawmaker Ron Paul told RT that he doesn’t think the United States should get involved any further in the escalating situation in Ukraine.
Paul, a staunch non-interventionist who last year retired from Congress after more than a quarter-century, said during an exclusive interview with RT on Wednesday that there’s “no sense” in having America entangled in the overseas standoff.
“I don’t think we have any business there,” Paul told RT from his office in Texas this week.
Tensions in the European country have worsened in recent weeks, particularly after President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted in February amid fiery anti-government protests in the capital city of Kiev. Violence quickly spread to other regions of the country, particularly in Crimea where local authorities have refused to recognize the new Ukrainian government and have established self-defense militias.
“I think it would be nice if we considered the Ukrainians. It’s their civil strike, their civil war, and deciding who to run that country should be left to them,” Paul told RT. “Unfortunately, others get involved and it seems like its irresistible for the US to be involved.”
So far the US has indefinitely severed military contacts with Russia and is reportedly weighing further sanctions should that country’s leader, President Vladimir Putin, authorize any advancement, especially in the peninsula of Crimea where pro-Russian troops have been stationed toe-to-toe against soldiers loyal to Ukraine. According to Paul, however, adding the US to the equation at any capacity would be the wrong move for US Pres. Barack Obama to make.
“We certainly don’t want to send troops in right now,” he told RT, and attempting to assist by offering any financial aid would be impossible.
“We are out of money,” he said, “so this idea that we are going to start bailing out Ukraine is total nonsense.”
“I don’t see how we could afford that, nor should we do it,” he said. “The whole thing makes no sense whatsoever from an economic viewpoint [or] from a political viewpoint. It’s always vying for control, and I think that’s what is going on.”
In Congress and while running for US president, Paul separated himself from the political establishment time and time again by adamantly opposing intervention of any sort. But while he may have retired last year after an unsuccessful third bid for the White House, he without a doubt is still critical of any attempts from the Obama administration to involve the country in another nation’s affairs.
“America always wants their hands in things. They have an empire to build and defend, and I think it’s a mess,” he told RT.
“I don’t think we should have an interest” in Ukraine, he added. “If we did it should be that we should encourage the Ukrainians to solve their problems, and once they have a government we should be open to working with them and talking to them.”
When asked by RT’s Liz Wahl if he had any advice for the current administration with regards to the Ukrainian conflict, Paul said “we should stay out of it and not be a participant.”
