Blinken tells Rand Paul that Russia has no right to invade ex-Soviet countries in tense exchange

Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a tense exchange with Senator Rand Paul about Russia having the right to invade countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union.

Mr Blinken was testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday about the State Department’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2023.

Mr Paul expressed his concern that if Ukraine were to join Nato, that would lead to US troops fighting in the nation, which he opposed. This comes despite the fact President Joe Biden has said there would not be ground troops in Ukraine.

The Secretary of State noted how many of the countries Russia had attacked were not part of Nato, to which Mr Paul said that the countries Russia attacked were formerly part of the Soviet Union.

“I firmly disagree with that proposition,” Mr Blinken said. “It is the fundamental right of these countries to decide their own future, their own destiny.”

In response, Mr Paul reiterated that many of the countries that Russia attacked – namely Georgia and Ukraine – had been part of the Soviet Union.

“That does not give Russia the right to attack them, on the contrary,” Mr Blinken said.

“I’m not saying it does,” Mr Paul said.

Mr Paul has previously criticised the Nato alliance. In 2017, he voted against cloture for a treaty that would have allowed Montenegro to join Nato.

“If we invite Montenegro into Nato, it will be a one-way street, with the US committing to defend yet another country, and you, the taxpayer, being stuck with the bill,” he said at the time. “Even the advocates of Montenegro joining Nato admit as much.”

In response, then-Senator John McCain criticised him for blocking the treaty.

“I have no idea why anyone would object to this, except that I will say, if they object, they are now carrying out the desires and ambitions of Vladimir Putin and I do not say that lightly” Mr McCain said at the time.