VP Harris Blasts DeSantis Over Ukraine Support: 'If You Really Understand The Issues, You Probably Would Not…'

Vice President Kamala Harris criticized Florida Governor Ron DeSantis after the latter said Ukraine support isn’t important for U.S. interest in a questionnaire response to a Fox News host.

What Happened: Harris, On CBS' "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” said DeSantis might not have made such statements about Ukraine if he actually understood the issues.

DeSantis told Fox News host Tucker Carlson earlier this week that Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine is a "territorial dispute" and defending Ukraine isn’t a “vital” national interest for Washington. 

"While the U.S. has many vital national interests…becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia is not one of them," DeSantis said, adding, "The Biden administration's virtual ‘blank check' funding of this conflict for ‘as long as it takes,' without any defined objectives or accountability, distracts from our country's most pressing challenges."

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Harris rebuked the Florida governor’s comments as she pointed towards her meetings with “over 100” world leaders as the second top U.S. leader.

"When you've had the experience of meeting and understanding the significance, again, of international rules and norms and the importance of the United States of America standing firm and clear about the significance of sovereignty and territorial integrity, the significance of standing firm against any nation that would try to take by force another nation — if you really understand the issues, you probably would not make statements like that,” she said.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump also told Carlson if he were to return to the top office, the extent of U.S. funding for Ukraine would largely depend on his meeting with the Russian President.

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