Senator Rand Paul accused the Biden administration on Tuesday of pushing Russian President Vladimir Putin into attacking "Soviet Union" nation Ukraine by advocating for its admission into NATO.

Forward of Russia's invasion, President Joe Bidensupported Ukraine having the ability to be a part of NATO, formally the North Atlantic Treaty Group, in the event that they so select to — a longstanding place amongst U.S. presidents.

Throughout a senate listening to with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday, Paul, a Kentucky Republican, blasted Biden for "agitating" Putin by his help of permitting Ukraine to hitch NATO. Rand's argument opposing Ukraine's NATO admission has change into extra distinguished amongst some within the GOP in the previous couple of years as extra Republicans embrace non-interventionist overseas coverage.

Paul and Blinken clashed over the problem after Paul criticized the Biden administration for "advocating for one thing that our adversary completely hated and stated was a purple line."

"There isn't any justification for the invasion, I am not saying that. However there are causes for the invasion," stated Paul, who has lengthy advocated for a extra isolationist overseas coverage. "In truth, had Ukraine been in NATO, as you've got advocated for, and plenty of others have advocated for, we'd now have troops in Ukraine."

Rand Paul blames Ukraine NATO for invasion
Senator Rand Paul pointed to the Biden administration’s help of Ukraine’s entry into NATO as a cause for Russia’s invasion throughout a senate listening to on Tuesday. Above, Paul speaks throughout a press convention in Washington D.C. in October 2017. Drew Angerer/Getty Pictures

Through the tense alternate, Paul additionally pointed to Ukraine and Georgia — one other nation Russia invaded in 2008 — as beforehand being a part of the Soviet Union as a "cause" for the invasion.

"You may additionally argue the nations they've attacked had been a part of Russia," he stated. "Or a part of the Soviet Union."

Blinken hit again that that "would not give Russia the suitable to assault them," stating that many ex-Soviet Union nations had been "liberated from being a part of this empire by pressure."

"It's the basic proper of those nations to determine their very own future and their very own future," Blinken stated.

Paul defined that he was "not saying it isn't" their proper to find out their sovereignty, however doubled down that Ukraine and Georgia "had been a part of the Soviet Union for the reason that Twenties."

Movies of the alternate amassed tons of of hundreds of views Tuesday afternoon on Twitter, the place many condemned Paul's feedback and a few accused him of spewing Russian propaganda.

"Rand Paul is sowing the seeds for Putin apologism. You may see whose facet he is on," wrote the Lincoln Challenge, a company of Republicans who oppose former President Donald Trump and his affect on the social gathering.

Along with the Ukraine invasion that started in February, Russia additionally started an invasion of elements of Georgia in 2008, seizing two areas, Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia), and recognizing them as unbiased republics.

Newsweek reached out to Paul's workplace for remark.