Cheney on Ukraine: Isolationism has ‘always been wrong’

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) on Sunday said isolationism has “always been wrong” and “dangerous” in response to some public figures who have called for a policy of nonintervention in Ukraine.

While a majority of conservatives have called for strong U.S. support for Ukraine, some prominent figures, including author J.D. Vance, called for an noninterventionist approach to Ukraine prior to the invasion.

Appearing on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Cheney said this approach has “always been wrong.”

“We’ve been down that road before. We’ve seen isolationism in both parties, and it’s always been wrong, and it’s always been dangerous,” Cheney said. “America cannot defend and maintain our own freedom and security if we think that we’re going to simply withdraw from the world and not lead.”

Vance, who is contending with other Republicans in a Senate primary, has joined other conservative figures such as Charlie Kirk in arguing the southern border with Mexico is more important than Ukraine.

“I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other,” he said during an appearance on Stephen Bannon’s show. Vance’s campaign press office tweeted out the quotation on Feb. 19. 

“I gotta be honest with you, I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine…I do care about the fact that in my community right now the leading cause of death among 18-45 year olds is Mexican fentanyl that’s coming across the southern border.” – @JDVance1 #OHSen pic.twitter.com/nf6MUzdWM5

— JD Vance for U.S. Senate Press (@JDVancePress) February 19, 2022

Cheney said this approach is also morally wrong and said it was “indefensible” for people to suggest that the U.S. take no stance in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

“If we take a step back and don’t lead, you simply need to look at what’s happening in Ukraine to recognize that those who fill the void when the U.S. steps away are people like the Russians, like the Chinese, like the Iranians. And so the idea that the world will be safe and that America will be able to be safe and free with an isolationist approach is wrong.”