Issue Position: What Marco Wants to Do About Russia

Issue Position

The last few years' events in Ukraine, Russia, and elsewhere prove we are barreling toward a second Cold War. As the Obama-Clinton record has shown, the longer we wait to stand strong against Putin's Russia, the higher the price of our inaction will be. Strong American leadership is the only force capable of ensuring that peace and security once again prevail.

For five years, Marco has been a leader on countering Russian aggression.

As President, Marco will immediately begin to take action against Russia, drawing on the principles of the Rubio Doctrine. He will:

Defend and Restore Ukrainian Sovereignty

* Reject and work to reverse Russia's annexation of Crimea, help Kiev uphold Ukrainian control over Eastern Ukraine, and establish a long-term strategy to allow the Ukrainian people to fulfill their European aspirations.
* Provide Kiev with lethal military assistance and increased training and intelligence sharing.
* Expand sanctions on Russian entities, such as major state-owned corporations and their senior leadership, and impose additional visa bans and asset freezes against high-level Russian officials.
* Help Ukraine's leaders modernize their economy to safeguard independence from Moscow.
* Cease diplomatic engagement with Moscow on issues not related to resolving the Ukraine crisis.

Protect Europe from Further Russian Aggression

* Boost the capacity of our NATO allies by storing additional heavy weapons and vehicles in Central and Eastern Europe and permanently stationing U.S. troops in the region.
* Provide additional military training and assistance to non-NATO frontline states such as Georgia and Moldova.
* Revamp NATO strategy, updating military planning to defend the Baltic, updating its nuclear deterrence doctrine to respond to Russian nuclear threats, and ensuring open membership for all countries that meet the conditions with no Russian veto.
* Lift restrictions on U.S. energy exports, to blunt Russia's attempts to use trade and energy dependence as a weapon.

Reclaim Leadership on Syria

* Make clear that there will be no U.S.-Russia cooperation in the fight against ISIL until Russia brokers the departure of Bashar al-Assad from power.
* Reassure U.S. allies and partners in the region that the United States will recommit to working with them to destroy ISIL through more frequent and accurate airstrikes, the deployment of U.S. Special Forces, and additional intelligence sharing.

Highlight Russian Arms Control Violations

* Make clear that the United States will respond to continued Russian violations of arms control agreements with a stronger military presence in Europe.
* Explore countermeasures to new Russian systems that violate arms agreements and expedite deployment of missile defense interceptors to Eastern Europe.

Advocate for Russian Journalists, Dissidents, and Democracy Activists

* Undermine Russian propaganda at home and abroad by revitalizing U.S. broadcasting, funneling news past Russian filters, and supporting sidelined or jailed Russian journalists.
* Highlight pervasive government corruption and human rights abuses and tie human rights to broader U.S.-Russian relations.
* Impose additional sanctions, including visa bans against Russian officials involved in human rights abuses.

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