Former President Donald Trump on Thursday slammed the U.S. decision to send top-of-the-line tanks to Ukraine, calling the effort to repel the Russian invasion a “crazy war.”
In the latest criticism of aid to Ukraine, Trump echoed the Russian talking point that sending the Abrams M1 tanks amount to an escalation that could lead to nuclear war.
“FIRST COME THE TANKS, THEN COME THE NUKES,” Trump wrote on his social media site. “Get this crazy war ended, NOW. So easy to do!”
Trump, who cheered Putin as a “genius” when he launched to invasion last year, has long expressed skepticism about the Western effort to defend Ukraine.
As President Joe Biden has led the push to help Kyiv, Trump and his allies have repeatedly demanded the U.S. end funding for the embattled nation.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., echoed Trump’s remarks, calling aid to Ukraine a “corrupt slush fund” without elaborating.
“We must stop funding Ukraine,” Greene wrote on her official congressional Twitter account. “This war needs to end.”
Without U.S.-led help, Ukraine would likely not be able to drive Russian troops out of its territory and would allow Russia to permanently annex the occupied lands.
Biden has staunchly insisted the West will not waver in its resolve to help Ukraine defend itself. Backed by NATO allies, the president has delivered on billions in military and economic aid to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war.
Trump’s salvo comes after Biden said the U.S. will ship 31 Abrams M1 tanks to Ukrainian forces in a new commitment to Kyiv.
Germany also agreed to supply 14 high-tech Leopard 2 battle tanks to Ukraine and authorize other European countries to send up to 88 more.
Britain, Poland, the Netherlands and Sweden are among the nations that have sent or announced plans to supply hundreds of tanks and heavy armored vehicles to fortify Ukraine as it enters a new phase of the war and tries to break through entrenched Russian lines.
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