Florida Congressman Mike Waltz, chosen by newly elected U.S. President Donald Trump as his national security adviser, compared the Russia-Ukraine war to the trench warfare of World War I and emphasized that the conflict must be stopped.
Speaking on Fox News Sunday, Waltz addressed the Biden administration’s decision to allow Ukraine to use anti-personnel landmines. While he acknowledged that these are “smart mines,” he stressed that the decision should be part of a broader framework to end the conflict.
“It is just an absolute meat grinder of people and personnel on that front. It is more like World War I trench warfare,” Waltz said.
He noted that Trump is “deeply concerned” about the ongoing war.
“President Trump is incredibly concerned about the carnage that is taking place there and again, ‘how do we how do we restore deterrence and how do we bring peace?'” Waltz stated, emphasizing that European nations must play a central role in the process.
When pushed on why Trump has not often publicly discussed the situation in Ukraine, Waltz reassured that the incoming president is “concerned about the escalation and where it’s all going.”
“We need to, we need to bring this to a responsible end,” he added. “We need to restore deterrence, restore peace, and get ahead of this escalation ladder rather than responding to it.”
Waltz also criticized the Biden administration’s approval of ATACMS missile strikes on Russian territory, claiming it contributes to further escalation.
