White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki criticized Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) for “parroting Russian talking points.”
During a White House press briefing Wednesday, a reporter asked Psaki for her reaction to Hawley’s call on the Biden administration to drop support for Ukraine’s future membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
“If you are digesting Russian misinformation and parroting Russian talking points you are not aligned with longstanding bipartisan American values, which is to stand up for the sovereignty of countries like Ukraine, but others,” Psaki said.
She continued, “Their right to choose their own alliances, and also to stand against, very clearly, the efforts, or attempts or potential attempts by any country to invade and take territory of another country. That applies to Sen. Hawley, but it also applies to others who may be parroting the talking points of Russian propagandist leaders.”
Watch part of the briefing below:
“If you are digesting Russian misinformation and parroting Russian talking points, you are not aligned with … American values.”
— The Recount (@therecount) February 2, 2022
WH Press Sec. Jen Psaki on Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) calling on Biden to drop support for Ukraine NATO membership pic.twitter.com/QUaQ6wvKZS
According to Axios, Hawley penned a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken asking for “clarity about the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine’s prospective membership in NATO.”
He acknowledged the United States “has an interest in maintaining Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. And we should urgently deliver to Ukraine assistance it needs to defend itself against Russia’s military buildup and other threats.”
Hawley continued, “Our interest is not so strong, however, as to justify committing the United States to go to war with Russia over Ukraine’s fate.”
The senator noted President Joe Biden has announced the United States will “send more conventional forces to Europe, if Russia invades Ukraine.”
He explained, “Such a deployment can only detract from the U.S. military’s ability to ready and modernize forces to deter China in the Indo-Pacific. But those opportunity costs pale in comparison to what would be expected — indeed, required — of the United States, were NATO actually to admit Ukraine as a member.”
Psaki is not the only one to have criticized Hawley for his suggestion.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) tweeted, “I hate to be so personal, but Hawley is one of the worst human beings, and a self egrandizing con artist.”
I hate to be so personal, but Hawley is one of the worst human beings, and a self egrandizing con artist. When Trump goes down I certainly hope this evil will be layed in the open for all to see, and be ashamed of. https://t.co/3LirLgeuMz
— Adam Kinzinger (Slava Ukraini) 🇺🇸🇺🇦🇮🇱 (@AdamKinzinger) February 2, 2022
He added, “When Trump goes down I certainly hope this evil will be layed in the open for all to see, and be ashamed of.”