Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) on Sunday said that the United States should prepare to ramp up oil and gas exports to Europe in case supplies are intercepted in Ukraine.
“I would immediately get every obstacle out of the way for our export on oil and gas. And I would begin drilling in every possible conceivable place within our territories in order to have production that we can supply Europe with if it’s interrupted from Ukraine,” he said on “Fox News Sunday” when asked how he would approach the crisis in Ukraine.
Paul also defended his stance on foreign policy after he said in February that the U.S. should pursue a “respectful” relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin just before he invaded Crimea.
“I see it coming out of the mainstream of the Republican position,” he said on “Fox News Sunday” about his foreign policy views when asked by host Chris Wallace if his stance was too “soft”. “There’s not one Republican who’s saying we should put military troops into Crimea or into Ukraine, so I think I’m right in the middle of that position. And I think those who would try to argue that somehow I’m different than the mainstream Republican opinion are people who want to take advantage for their personal political gain.”
