Sunday shows preview: US reaffirms support for Ukraine amid threat of Russian invasion

Mounting fears of a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine are expected to dominate this week’s Sunday talk shows circuit.

In remarks on Wednesday, President Biden predicted Russia, which has amassed more than 100,000 troops near the border of Ukraine, “will move in” to the former Soviet republic.

He also seemed to suggest that a “minor incursion” by Russia could result in more mild consequences for the country, sparking confusion. But on Thursday, he clarified that any invasion into Ukraine would result in severe consequences and Russia would pay a “heavy price.”

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who served in the role under the Trump administration, criticized Biden’s remarks.

“He increased the risks to the Ukrainian people,” Pompeo told Fox News this week. “This is not good. It won’t protect American interests, it won’t help the Europeans, and it certainly puts Ukraine … at real risk.”

Pompeo is set to appear on “Fox News Sunday.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to appear on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” CBS’s “Face the Nation” and CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.

Blinken on Thursday appealed for global unity to push back against Russia’s increasing hostility against Ukraine.

“It’s a crisis with global consequences and it requires global attention and action,” he said in remarks delivered from Berlin, where he convened with European allies ahead of a high stakes meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday. 

Several members of Congress have also weighed in on the growing tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who is set to appear on CBS’s “Face the Nation” Sunday, said the U.S. withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan last August has emboldened Russia in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine and that there needs to be more action from the Biden administration to deter a Russian invasion.

“I’m not seeing a lot of deterrence,” he told CNN last Sunday. “I’m seeing some tough rhetoric, but not a lot of action. I would recommend — I talked to Deputy Secretary Wendy Sherman prior to her negotiations — that you have to put things on the table like sanctions. You have to talk about more arms sales, weapon sales to Ukraine.”

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) has also spoken about the issue, saying he does not support deploying troops to Ukraine.

“I would not support sending American troops into Ukraine in response to a Russian invasion, because frankly, I think we would simply be sacrificing them,” he told Greta Van Susteren in an interview that will air on Sunday.

Coons is scheduled to appear on ABC’s “This Week.”

Below is the full list of guests scheduled to appear on this week’s Sunday talk shows:

ABC’s “This Week” — Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.

NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Secretary of State Antony Blinken; Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich.

CBS’s “Face the Nation” — Blinken; Reps. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Michael McCaul, R-Texas; Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former Food and Drug Administration commissioner.

CNN’s “State of the Union” — Blinken; Sanders; Ernst.

“Fox News Sunday” — Gov. Kristi Noem, R-S.D.; former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Fox News “Sunday Morning Futures” — Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR); Enes Kantor Freedom, Boston Celtics, Center; Devin Nunes, CEO of Truth Social; Newt Gingrich, Former Speaker of The House