Sen. Mike Lee Says that the U.S. and Ukraine Cannot Both Be NATO Members

April 8—Writing in the American Conservative on March 9, Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) says that the United States must leave NATO, if Ukraine is granted membership. “If Ukraine is in NATO, the United States should be out, plain and simple. …” Lee wrote. Ukraine in NATO could lead to a Third World War, he warns.

“Putin continues to warn us that Ukraine in NATO could be the match that sparks WWIII. As a constitutional realist, it seems to me that when the enemy gives us a clear warning, we should act with a degree of prudence, not double down without a second thought simply to anger the bad guy…” Lee writes.

“If we are serious about preserving U.S. hegemony, at no point can our nation be forced by a dependent Europe to accept the risk of nuclear escalation. We must draw a redline with NATO: You can have Ukraine or the United States. If allied boots hit the ground in Ukraine, we should walk away from NATO entirely.”

Sen. Lee has been a strong supporter of former President Donald Trump, and has been one of the critics of the U.S> continuing to send money and weapons to the losing proxy war against Russia in Ukraine. Trump has recently evoked similar opinions about U.S. continued support for NATO.