Biden surrogate: ‘Cowardly’ Trump won’t go to Ukraine because ‘Putin doesn’t want him to’

President Biden reelection campaign surrogate Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) bashed former President Trump on Friday for the implication that it wouldn’t be “appropriate” to go to Ukraine, arguing that Russian President Vladimir Putin “simply” doesn’t want him to.

In a statement first obtained by The Hill, Sherrill, a former Navy helicopter pilot and Russian policy officer for the commander-in-chief of the Navy in Europe, argued Trump is too cowardly to visit the war-torn country.

“Trump won’t go to Ukraine because, quite simply, Vladimir Putin doesn’t want him to. Donald Trump doesn’t care what’s best for U.S. national security or democracy — he only cares what’s best for Donald Trump,” she said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Trump this week to visit the country in an interview with Axel Springer media outlets.

Trump’s campaign in a statement to Reuters said the former president “has said publicly it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to go to Ukraine right now since he’s not Commander in Chief.”

“His cowardice in the face of protecting democracy or standing up to dictators is well known, so it’s unsurprising that, unlike Joe Biden, he’s too cowardly to go into a war zone,” Sherrill added. “Trump’s dangerous and chaotic behavior, affection for dictators over our allies, and well-established disrespect for democracy makes Americans less safe.”

While running for the Republican nomination against Trump, former Vice President Mike Pence and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie both traveled to Ukraine. Biden traveled to Ukraine for a surprise visit in February 2023.

Trump sparked international concern earlier this year after he said he would encourage Russia to attack NATO countries “delinquent” in their defense payments, and he has been critical of the support and funding that the U.S. has given to Ukraine’s war effort.