Columbia News

U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt (R-MO) appeared on Fox Business’ Varney & Co to discuss President Trump’s approach to ending the war in Ukraine and criticized Democrats for what he described as a partisan government shutdown.

Addressing the situation in Ukraine, Schmitt commented on recent sanctions against Russia and called for a negotiated peace. He said, “Well, I think it’s the next phase in getting [Russia and Ukraine] to the table. This is something that Joe Biden failed miserably. Just money was pumped overseas without any plan of action or to bring the war to an end. I think this is all part of a calculated effort by President Trump to bring peace to that region, as he’s done in other parts of the world. And so, I think this gets Russia’s attention at the table. I think Russia viewed the spring and the summer months to try to move those lines. They are effectively, though, at a stalemate. That’s what this is — a meat grinder. It’s time for the parties to come to the table. If there’s anybody in the world that can bring peace here, it’s President Trump, and he’s giving his best effort here.”

Schmitt also discussed limitations faced by both sides in the conflict: “Yes, but there’s also a realization too — if you’re having more of a realist view of all this — that Ukraine can’t go on forever either, right? They don’t have the munitions, and they don’t have the people. Russia isn’t making the gains that they would have liked to make. So, the conditions now are ripe for a serious negotiation to end the war. And I think that’s where the President’s North Star is here. It’s diplomacy. It’s applying pressure where you can to bring the parties to the table. I think that is why those sanctions were put in place. And I think we’re all very hopeful that that’s actually what’s going to happen here.”

On domestic issues, Schmitt blamed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic leadership for prolonging a government shutdown: “…The solution here is pretty simple. This Schumer shutdown can end today. We’re going to have another vote on it today, which is to say that the Democrats can fund the government. They can vote right now. We’ve done it 12 times. Republicans have voted to fund the government 12 times. This is all about performative politics by the Democrats. They’re scared to death of their left flank. AOC and Bernie Sanders are running the show. They’re giving the orders, and Chuck Schumer is afraid of his own shadow. And so, if they can get past the politics of this from their radicalized base and fund the government as we did 13 times. We’re talking about same funding levels to work out appropriations bills. Republicans have a very reasonable position here and [we] hope to convince at least five more Democrats to come along here and end this shutdown.”