Amid reports of Russian naval ships and a nuclear-powered submarine brushing past the Florida coast and stationing in Cuba, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued a statement blasting Biden’s foreign policy.
A Russian naval flotilla, consisting of three surface vessels and a nuclear-powered submarine, sailed within 30 miles of the Florida coast on Tuesday, June 11, 2024.
As the Tampa Free Press reported, the move prompted a swift response from the U.S. Navy, which deployed warships and aircraft to track the Russian vessels’ movements.
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“What we’re seeing ninety miles from our shores is the direct result of the Biden Administration’s weakness. There must be real consequences for Russia and Cuba. Let there be no doubt that President Biden and members of this administration are downplaying this significant development because it exposes their incompetence in their approach of appeasement with the dictators in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela,” said Rubio.
“The Biden Administration concessions to the Cuban regime have only emboldened the dictatorship to welcome Russian warships, including a nuclear capable submarine this time. This is further proof that under no circumstance should the Biden Administration remove Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism list,” Rubio said.
While U.S. officials have acknowledged the proximity of the Russian ships to Florida, they emphasize that the vessels have remained in international waters and have not posed a direct threat to the United States.
“We have been monitoring the ships’ paths closely,” a U.S. official stated. “At no point have the ships or submarine posed a direct threat to the United States.”
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The incident has raised concerns among some observers, who view it as a show of force by Russia in the Caribbean region.
However, others argue that the exercises are routine and should not be cause for alarm.
The U.S. Navy continues to monitor the situation and has assured the public that it is taking all necessary measures to protect American interests.
The incident serves as a reminder of the ongoing geopolitical tensions between the United States and Russia, even as the two countries cooperate on issues such as nuclear arms control.
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