Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton saw President Obama's speech in Brussels today as deeply concerning for the United States and a grave insight into how Obama views international relations.
Bolton, speaking directly after the speech on Fox News, was flummoxed that President Obama's chief concern appeared to be that Russian President Vladimir Putin violated international law by invading Ukraine.
Absent, Bolton noted, was any mention of Russia's imperialist motivations or the need to implement further deterrents against Putin.
"There's nothing in the speech about understanding force and power and international affairs the way the Russians do and how they proceeded, nor anything about deterrents or dissuasion. It was almost entirely about international norms, international law, the United Nations, none of which have done a thing to stop Russians in Ukraine."
Additionally, Bolton ripped President Obama for suggesting U.S. interests in Ukraine are minimal considering the former Soviet state's geopolitical significance.
"I think the president is living in a world of words and Putin is living in a world of power. I mean, the president even went so far as to argue actual U.S. interests in the Ukraine are fairly minimal. What concerns us is the violation of international law. I actually think we've got major tangible interest in the Ukraine," he said.
If the U.S. and Europe fail to band together in a show of force against Putin, Bolton argued, further endangers Ukraine and will encourage other hostile nations around the around to mimic Putin's expansionist agenda.
"That weakness, that inability to show strength, I think encourages Putin in Ukraine and rest of the former Soviet Union, and encourages other adversaries in other parts of the world like China to be assertive in their behavior as well."