Northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves says it appears financial sanctions imposed by the United States and the rest of the West are beginning to have an impact on Russia. But Graves says President Biden should have imposed the sanctions long before Russia invaded Ukraine. Graves, a Republican member of the House Armed Services Committee, says even Biden has admitted that it will take months before the sanctions take a real bite out of the Russian economy.
Graves says the response by the West must be limited since Ukraine is not a member of NATO. He does say the West should provide all the military equipment Ukraine needs to defend itself but must stop short of sending troops or enforcing a no-fly zone, which he says could easily result in a broadening of the conflict.
Graves says that any end game will have to concede something to Russian President Putin.
Graves says Biden should allow Ukraine to get Soviet-era fighter jets offered by Poland. He says while the US cannot enforce a no-fly zone without grave risk of committing an act of war, Ukraine must be given the means to enforce one on its own.
