U.S. should give Ukraine 'as much weaponry as we can,’ former GOP congressman says

The United States should give Ukraine “as much weaponry as we can,” a former CIA clandestine officer and ex-congressman said.

Security specialist Will Hurd, who served as a Republican representative from Texas after leaving the CIA, made his remarks Sunday while appearing on the CBS show "Face the Nation."

"I think we should give them as much weaponry as we can," Hurd said, noting that he believed the U.S. should do more to help Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Feb. 24 ordered his forces to invade Ukraine in what he described as a "special military operation" to "demilitarize" that nation. Instead of scoring a quick victory, thought, Russian troops encountered strong resistance. 

Noting that "everybody underestimated the Ukrainians before this happened," Hurd said that Ukraine needs more help. 

Poland this month offered to send its MiG-29 fighter jets to an American air base in Germany, to be sent from there to Ukraine. 

The Pentagon rejected that proposal as not being "tenable."

"The prospect of fighter jets ‘at the disposal of the Government of the United States of America’ departing from a U.S./NATO base in Germany to fly into airspace that is contested with Russia over Ukraine raises serious concerns for the entire NATO alliance," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said earlier this month. 

Hurd supported sending those or other weapons.

"Who knows what they're going to be able to do with those kinds of tools," he said. "And we have to be prepared to help them prevent significant loss of life."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday asked NATO countries to send tanks and aircraft to help repel attacks from Russia.