To the Editor:
Given the trajectory of the Republican Party over the
last two decades, culminating in the nomination of Donald Trump for president,
it comes as little surprise that the party platform is the most extreme it has
ever been.
From my foreign policy role in the Senate, I want to
call attention to the Republican Party’s apparently new position that the
United States should not provide military assistance to Ukraine, as alluded to
in its platform.
There is broad, bipartisan support for standing
steadfast with Ukraine through political, economic and military support after
Russia’s invasion two years ago. Russia’s aggression violated international
law, robbed Ukraine of its sovereign territory, and killed and wounded
thousands of people.
Mr. Trump speaks glowingly of President Vladimir V.
Putin and underestimates the damage done by Russia in Eastern Europe. It is
also worth pointing out that Paul Manafort, the Trump campaign chairman, served
as a consultant for Viktor F. Yanukovich, the ousted president of Ukraine, who
now lives in exile in Russia.
Mr. Trump has already indicated that he is willing to
walk away from our allies in Eastern Europe. It is unfortunate that the
Republican Party now reflects that dangerous thinking.
BEN CARDIN
Washington
The writer, a Democrat, is a United
States senator from Maryland and the ranking member of the Foreign Relations
Committee.
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