GOP Rep. Mast: We Haven’t Ended Russia’s Capabilities Because They Still Have Oil ‘Cash Cow’

On Monday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends,” Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) stated that it is possible to force Vladimir Putin to the table with strong sanctions and praised the sanctions implemented by President Donald Trump, but stated that forcing Putin to the table will require “bringing an end to the capabilities that Russia can bring to the battlefield, which hasn’t taken place yet. And a lot of the reason that hasn’t taken place is because Russia still continues to have that cash cow of oil and gas” funding their economy.

Mast stated, “I think it’s possible that the President bring[s] him to the table because of the situation that he continues to put him in with sanctions on Russia, with secondary sanctions on those that will purchase anything from Russia, with crippling their economy, with just skyrocketing inflation.”

He continued, “And, ultimately, it has to be bringing an end to the capabilities that Russia can bring to the battlefield, which hasn’t taken place yet. And a lot of the reason that hasn’t taken place is because Russia still continues to have that cash cow of oil and gas funneling money into their economy that allows them to go out there and fuel probably greater than 10% of their economy into military operations.”

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