The One Great Russian Success in its Interference in U.S. Elections
The Deletion of Lethal Defense Assistance from the United States to Ukraine from the Republican Platform
In 1945, Ukraine was one of the founding nations of the United Nations. It was then one of the Soviet Union of Socialist Republics, along with Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia. Upon the breakup of the Soviet Union in1991, however, all four nations became independent. All were situated between Europe's NATO nations and Russia.
Ukraine had intercontinental nuclear warheads, but in 1994, a Memorandum of Understanding was entered into by the United States, Russia and Ukraine that Ukraine's nuclear arsenal would be destroyed and that the sovereignty of Ukraine, a part of which was Crimea, would be recognized.
In 2014, however, Russia's Putin annexed Crimea, and in a referendum vote, a majority accepted becoming a part of Russia. Russia also sent troops into parts of eastern Ukraine to aid Ukrainians who wanted to return to Russia, leaving the Ukraine. Ukraine, with its 45 million people, was hardly in a position to defend itself against Russia's 144 million, and its powerful military.
U.S. and NATO policy was to support Ukraine's independence. At the Republican Convention in Cleveland in July, 2016, the Republican Platform Committee considered a proposal made by several Republicans, including Senator James Inhofe, that the United States provide "lethal defense weapons" such as anti-tank guns and ammunition, to Ukraine to aid in the bitter war with their separatists in the southeastern areas of Donetsk and Lagorsk where thousands of Ukranian soldiers had been killed.
Here enter the Trump campaign people. Trump brought in Russia's business friend, Paul Manafort, the recipient of millions from Putin's associates, to chair the Cleveland Convention. The Russian Ambassador to the United States attended and met with several campaign people including General Michael Flynn. The relevant Republican Platform Committee was chaired by Steve Yates. A Texas Cruz delegate, Diana Denman, had offered language that the Republican Platform include a paragraph that the U.S. give "lethal defense aid" to support Ukraine's independence. But that did not happen. Instead, Trump's foreign policy consultant, J.D. Gordon, once told CNN's Jim Costa that he had caused the language to be changed to provide that the U.S. would give only "appropriate assistance," so as not to curtail Trump's pledge to obtain "better relations" with Putin and Russia.
Our intelligence agencies have unanimously agreed that Putin and the Russians wanted to affect the election. The Russians wanted Trump elected, and he was.
Whether or not the Russians' various hacks and other actions played a key role in electing Trump may never be known, but their success in muting the Republican Party position towards U.S. assistance to Ukraine is clear and undeniable. Their Ambassador and Intelligence people can be proud that their work with Trump's campaign people softened the Republican policy with regard to arms aid to Ukraine. Their efforts led to at least this one victory- one that runs counter to prior US policy.
It will be interesting to see what President Trump will deem "appropriate assistance" to be given Ukraine under the Republican policy as set forth in the Republican Platform. With Russia reported to having withdrawn troops from the Ukraine battles in order to send them to assist the Assad regime in Syria, it puts the Russians in direct opposition to U.S. policy on the Syrian front as well.
But does Trump care? And will he follow the Republican Platform dicta and deny weapons assistance to Russia's enemy?
The ongoing investigations of the Russian influence in our elections should take a closer look at the machinations that took place at the Republican Convention. The end result affects the lives of millions.
Paul N. "Pete" McCloskey
Republican Member of Congress, 1967-1983