Republican lawmakers highlight causes, solutions to Russia-Ukraine war: 'Follow the money'
The United States should 'cut off' Putin's access to oil revenue, Rep. French Hill said
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Republican lawmakers suggested the Biden administration could have taken several preemptive steps to prevent the war in Ukraine, and should be imposing harsher sanctions in order to put pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"A solution would have been a prevention, preemptive action," Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital, adding that harsher sanctions should have been imposed earlier.
Biden announced an initial round of sanctions against Russia early last week, and implemented more after Putin invaded Ukraine early Thursday morning. So far, Biden has stopped short of sanctioning Putin himself.
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Since then, Biden has said that there is "no sanction that is immediate," and that it would take time for the effects to be fully realized by Putin.
Rep. French Hill, R.-Ark., said he was "impressed" to see countries like Sweden, Finland and Switzerland joining in international pressure on Russia, but ultimately the United States needs to "cut off his access to oil revenue."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"There’s not going to be a quick fix," Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., told Fox News Digital. "It’s going to take a long time for the economic sanctions that have been put in place in order to start curtailing the activities the Russians have taken over."
Rosendale added that further sanctions should be placed on Russian oil, and the United States should "immediately" stop importing energy from the country.
"We can do that here at home by simply not buying any more Russian oil from Putin," he added.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rep. Lisa McClain, R.-Mich., said Biden could stop the war "tonight."
"What does it take to fight a war?" she asked. "It takes people and it takes money. All you have to do is follow the money."
McClain criticized Biden for shutting down America’s energy initiatives and buying oil from Russia.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"That’s money the Russians are using to fight the war in Ukraine," she said. "That could stop, and we could cripple them today, but Biden is too worried about placating to the progressives. I think we should placate to the Americans and the people of Ukraine."
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Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, drew a direct connection between Biden’s energy policies and the conflict in Ukraine, particularly canceling U.S. oil drilling and the Keystone XL pipeline, while simultaneously green lighting the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Putin was watching, he calculated that this would be the time he could actually affect an invasion and the consequences wouldn’t be that high," Pfluger told Fox News Digital.
"Putin has calculated that the resolve to stand up for law and order, international norms, to take a stand for democracy and what it means to follow what we’ve seen during the post-WWII area, those things are really being challenged right now," Pfluger added.
Rep. Doug LaMalfa. R-Calif., added that America has a "second chance" to support Ukrainians by providing arms and other support.
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Most lawmakers recognized that if the United States was to stop buying oil from Russia, it would increase the price of gasoline, underscoring the need to produce more U.S. energy.
"We need to make sure we are developing our own resources and those in Canada, our friends to the north," Rosendale said, referencing the Keystone XL pipeline, which Biden canceled on his first day in office.