President Trump’s first-term ambassador to NATO, Kay Bailey Hutchison, warned on Sunday that Chinese President Xi Jinping “is watching” President Trump’s approach to negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
In an interview on NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday,” Hutchison said if the West appears weak against Russia — and if Russia doesn’t face adequate repercussions for starting the war in Ukraine — Xi could see the current moment as an opening to take Taiwan.
“Xi is watching to see if the West will crater, if the West will just give up, will walk away from Ukraine — which we have said we would not do,” Hutchison said.
“And if we look weak or vacillating or give up the ability to have Western boundaries remain secure, then I think that means to Xi that maybe this is the time for him to do what he has wanted to do for a long time, which is start taking over Taiwan,” she continued. “He certainly did enough damage in Hong Kong, and now his next feat would be Taiwan.”
Trump will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders on Monday to discuss the outcome of the Friday summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Hutchison said it’s “very good” that Trump is including European leaders in the meeting because “security that is with the European allies is going to be part of this negotiation.”
“So having them at the table, I think, is very good, and also, they deserve to have input. This is their borders, and of course, NATO is part of all of this negotiation, but I think that it is going to be really important to have the Europeans understand what is at stake,” Hutchison said.
“Most assuredly, Ukraine has to have the final say,” she added.
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