"Not in our interests": US presidential candidate DeSantis slams NATO membership for Ukraine 

Bloomberg reported the information.

"I don’t think NATO membership is in our interest, to me. All that would do is add more obligations to us, so if you’re adding more obligations, then what are the benefits that we’re getting in return?" said the US presidential candidate.

DeSantis also added that the United States should not give a “blank check” to Ukraine unless it’s using leverage to bring the conflict to a conclusion.

Ron DeSantis' stance on Ukraine: details

In March, Ron DeSantis, the likely Republican candidate for the presidency, called the war with Russia a "territorial dispute." Around the same time, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited him to visit the country to gain a better understanding of Russia's full-scale invasion and the threat it poses to US interests.

Later on, DeSantis changed his language regarding the Ukraine situation, labeling Putin a "war criminal" who should face justice. He also referred to the Russian leader as a loser who is “basically a gas station with a bunch of nuclear weapons.”

In May, DeSantis officially submitted paperwork to the US Federal Election Commission, confirming his participation in the 2024 presidential elections and his intent to compete in the Republican primaries.

Subsequently, DeSantis, who is seen as the primary Republican rival to former President Donald Trump in the US elections, stated that, if elected, he would prefer not to deploy American troops in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. He expressed a desire for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine war and emphasized that the US military should not be directly involved in the conflict.