'It's evil:' Pence says U.S. may have to deploy troops against Russia

Mike Pence said Wednesday that American troops could be deployed to the battlefield should Russian troops get the upper hand in their war against Ukraine.

The former vice president, who last week made a surprise visit to Ukraine and has broken with some in his party over his support for U.S. aid for the Eastern European nation, raised the possibility of American troops fighting Russia during an appearance on the conservative Hugh Hewitt Show.

He said he views Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine as “evil,” and said it’s in America’s vital interests to stop the Russian leader from advancing deeper into Europe.

He said during his visit to Ukraine he visited the city of Bucha, the site of some of worst atrocities Europe has seen since World War II at the hands of Putin’s troops, who according to some accounts opened fire on hundreds of civilians including women and children.

“There was a mass grave that was built by the church. We laid a wreath last week. I mean, I must tell you that what’s going on in Ukraine right now is not just war, it’s evil,” Pence said.

“And frankly, I really left more resolved than ever that it is in our national interest to give the Ukrainian military the support they need to fight and to repel this Russian invasion. I have no doubt that Vladimir Putin is now facing profound divisions within his own country and his own military. I have no doubt that if Vladimir Putin overran Ukraine, it would not be too long, Hugh, before the Russian military crossed a border where we would have to send our fighting men and women to fight against them.”

Pence said he was relying on the “Reagan Doctrine” in his assessment of the crisis that called for backing democratic allies.

“So I’m a guy who believes in that old Reagan doctrine,” Pence said.

“If you’re willing to fight the enemies of the United States on your soil, we’ll give you the means to fight them there so our men and women in uniform don’t have to fight them. And I’m going to continue to be a voice for that in this campaign and all across this country.”