Coons: I Worry Pelosi’s Taiwan Trip Could ‘Significantly Distract’ from Ukraine if There’s ‘Escalation’

On Thursday’s broadcast of CNN International’s “Amanpour,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) said that his main concern with House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) planned trip to Taiwan is that it “could significantly distract the focus of the world” from the Russian invasion of Ukraine “if there were to be some escalation” as a result of Pelosi’s trip.

Coons stated, “I’ve been to visit the PRC and Taiwan, many members of Congress have. Former Speaker Newt Gingrich, as Speaker of the House, went to Taiwan…decades ago. But I’ll tell you that my principal focus, and the real focus of the debates and conversations last weekend in Aspen, were on Europe and the Russian invasion of Ukraine and how to sustain our support for the Ukrainians. My principal concern would be that this could significantly distract the focus of the world, if there were to be some escalation. I respect Speaker Pelosi’s long record of leadership on foreign policy. And I hope she’ll take the input and advice of a wide range of sources from our intelligence community, our military leadership, and make the right decision, in terms of what’s the area we should focus on right now.”

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