Mike Pence has warned Donald Trump that his stance on Ukraine may lead to a Russian invasion of a NATO country and result in a war involving U.S. troops.
Speaking on X about Trump’s comments on how Ukraine “may be Russia some day,” his former vice president said: “If Ukraine falls, it will only be a matter of time until Russia invades a NATO ally our troops will be required to defend.”
Mr. President, Ukraine will only “be Russian someday” if the United States abandons them to Putin’s brutal invasion. As you just said,“When America is Strong the World is at Peace.” Stand Firm. If Ukraine falls, it will only be a matter of time until Russia invades a NATO ally… pic.twitter.com/6KbUKGINt2
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) February 11, 2025
Why It Matters
Foreign policy experts and other European leaders have expressed concern that if Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is ultimately successful, it will move on to invade nearby North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) nations.
Per Article 5 of NATO’s charter, if a NATO nation is invaded, then all of the other NATO members, including the U.S., are obligated to treat the invasion as though it were an attack on themselves. Article 5 does not state that all NATO countries need to send military troops into the region, but says that all parties are obligated to take “such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.”
Mike Pence (left) in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 17, 2025, and Donald Trump at the White House on Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington. Mike Pence (left) in Taipei, Taiwan, on Jan. 17, 2025, and Donald Trump at the White House on Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington. Left: Johnson Lai, Right: Alex Brandon/AP Photo
What to Know
Donald Trump ran on a promise of ending the war in Ukraine on “Day 1.” Now, almost a month into his presidency, he is implying that the war might end with Ukraine being fully taken over by Russia, sparking fear that Russia will escalate the conflict into an all-out European war.
However, if Russia does invade nearby NATO-protected Finland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, or Poland, the U.S. under Donald Trump could defy the NATO charter and refuse to come to their aid.
The president has said in the past that he will not come to the defense of NATO countries that he believes do not “pay their bills.” He also said he will withdraw the U.S. from NATO entirely if nations can’t meet the funding targets set by Trump.
He told supporters at a rally in North Carolina last year that he would “encourage” Russia to “do whatever the hell they want” to nations who fail to meet his NATO expenditure goals.
He also floated a plan to remove 20,000 U.S. troops from their European posts when he took office, which would be another blow to NATO and wider European security.
The U.S. would also need Congressional approval before deploying troops to Europe, and several Republican members of the House have spoken out in the past against funding Ukrainian war efforts.
Ukrainian troops carry the coffin of Ukrainian serviceman Andrii Neshodovskiy during his funeral in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 25, 2023. Ukrainian troops carry the coffin of Ukrainian serviceman Andrii Neshodovskiy during his funeral in Kyiv, Ukraine, on March 25, 2023. Evgeniy Maloletka, File/AP Photo
Trump’s statement about Ukraine potentially becoming Russia one day, which was made on Fox News days before his vice president is set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, was backed by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, who was quoted by CBS saying: “[The current situation] largely corresponds to President Trump’s words.”
The president also said in the Oval Office that he wants to do a security deal with Ukraine in exchange for their rare earth minerals “and other things.”
The Baltic NATO countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, meanwhile, are switching away from Russian power in Europe to join the European Union’s grid, making them less reliant on Russia as their energy source.
What People Are Saying
Mike Pence on X: “Mr. President, Ukraine will only “be Russian someday” if the United States abandons them to Putin’s brutal invasion. As you just said, “When America is Strong the World is at Peace.” Stand Firm. If Ukraine falls, it will only be a matter of time until Russia invades a NATO ally our troops will be required to defend.”
Donald Trump on Fox News: “They may make a deal, they may not make a deal. They may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday.”
NATO Treaty Article 5: “The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them . . . shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking . . . such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.”
What Happens Next
The war is still contained within Ukraine, but a combination of USAID funding freezes to Ukrainian charities and aid work, and the potential end of U.S. funds into NATO has created fear in Europe that the war will spread beyond its current borders.
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