MORGANTOWN — Putin’s war in Ukraine has made it clear the United States needs to become energy independent, Sen. Joe Manchin said in a call with reporters Monday.
“We’ve got to make a commitment. United States of America has been and will be and can be again, energy independent,” Manchin said. “We must do that. We must ramp up production and show the rest of the world that we have the ability to basically not only be independent and be the superpower of the world, but be able to help our allies.”
Specifically, Manchin called for the completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. That one pipeline coming out of West Virginia would put two billion cubic feet of gas a day into the market. It will take eight months to finish and is one of the quickest things that could get additional energy to the market.
“The bottom line is if we don’t, if reality doesn’t sink in, stick in, that Putin has weaponized energy, he’s weaponized petroleum, he’s weaponized natural gas, he’s weaponized coal that goes into Ukraine. He has weaponized fossil energy,” Manchin said.
Manchin also called for energy technology and innovation and said both hydrogen and nuclear were strong. Any fossil fuels produced by America would be done cleaner than anywhere else, he said. The country is big enough and strong enough to do both.
America should “absolutely” welcome Ukrainian refugees, Manchin said.
“By God, we should open arms to ‘em. I would hope so,” Manchin said. “These are, these are good people. They’re strong. They’re hard working people. They’re family-loving, God-fearing. And we should all open our hearts up anywhere they would want to come, anywhere we can reposition. West Virginia, you know, absolutely. We should not be excluded whatsoever. We should be as involved in as attractive as a place in the world for them to go.”
Right now, most will be dispersed into Europe because of logistics but when the time comes, Manchin said, the United States should absolutely be open to the refugees.
Additional troops should be stationed in Europe and the country needs to make a show of military force and be ready; however, Manchin said he isn’t for sending troops or pilots to fight directly – and that’s not what Ukraine wants anyway.
Manchin praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying, “I’ve never been more impressed by a person who’s so committed to protecting his country, defending his country and dying for his country if need be. With no remorse, none at all. And he knows he’s fighting on the right side of history and the right side of justice and the right side of the moral values that we all hold near and dear.”
He said Zelenskyy asked for air cover in the form of planes – not American pilots or planes the Ukrainian pilots aren’t trained on.
Instead, the plan is for European countries that use the same types of fighters as Ukraine to pass theirs on in return for American planes to backfill their arsenals. Manchin said he was in favor of that.
As for Putin’s threats that providing arms could be taken as an act of aggression, Manchin said the U.S. and NATO can’t bow to Putin’s threats and must defend their allies.
Manchin also said he was in favor of additional sanctions, if needed, but he wasn’t sure how much more damage could really be done to Russia’s economy.
“I believe if Ukraine has the necessary equipment and tools and intelligence that we’re providing to them, they can make it very, very, very difficult and miserable for Putin,” Manchin said. “The backbone and spine of the Ukrainian people are unbelievable. And unbreakable and unrelentable.”
