Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., said on Newsmax on Saturday that Russia’s Vladimir Putin should have no leverage over who joins NATO, calling the Russian leader solely responsible for the war against Ukraine and arguing any peace deal must protect Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Lawler, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, made the comments during “Saturday Report,” responding to a question that cited warnings from NATO secretary- general Mark Rutte that Europe should brace for a prolonged conflict.
Rutte, who took office Oct. 1, 2024, has urged NATO countries to adopt what he has called a “wartime mindset” and increase defense spending and production, warning that NATO countries are “already in harm’s way.”
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