Rand Paul Makes Oddly-Timed Point About Russia Invading Ukraine and Georgia: ‘Part of the Soviet Union Since the 1920s’

During Tuesday’s hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) pursued an interesting line of questioning with Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Paul spoke about the role of NATO and its potential expansion to include Ukraine before Russia invaded the country in February. The growth of NATO has been a point of contention in U.S.-Russia relations.

“There is no justification for the invasion,” Paul averred. “But there are reasons the invasion, and I think it’s added nothing. In fact, had Ukraine been in NATO, as you’ve advocated for and many others have advocated for, we would now have troops in Ukraine.”

Paul noted the dearth of support among members Congress for sending U.S. soldiers to Ukraine. He said this would not be the case if Ukraine were in NATO, and that members would feel obligated to defend Ukraine based on the organization’s collective defense policy.

“Had they been or [were] they to become part of NATO, that means U.S. soldiers will be fighting in Ukraine and that is something I very much oppose,” Paul concluded.

“My judgment is different,” Blinken replied. “If you look at the countries that Russia has attacked over the last years: Georgia, leaving forces in Transnistria in Moldova, and then repeatedly, Ukraine. These were countries not part of NATO. It has not attacked NATO countries for probably a very good reason.”

Paul interrupted.

“You could also argue the countries they’ve attacked were part of Russia–were part of the Soviet Union,” referring to the aforementioned countries, which were formerly Soviet Socialist Republics.

“I firmly disagree with that proposition,” Blinken shot back. “It is the fundamental right of these countries to decide their own future and their own destiny.”

“I’m not saying that it’s not, But I’m saying the countries that have been attacked – Georgia and Ukraine – were part of the Soviet Union. And they were part of the Soviet Union since the 1920s.”

“But that does not give Russia the right to attack them, on the contrary–”

“No one’s saying it does.”

Watch above via C-SPAN.