McCaul: Xi’s best deterrence on Taiwan is Putin’s failure in Russia

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said Sunday that Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s best deterrence on Taiwan will be if Russia fails in its invasion of Ukraine.

When asked if he is “reassured” that House Republicans will not stand in the way of additional aid to Ukraine, McCaul told NBC’s Chuck Todd on “Meet the Press” that “what’s happening in Ukraine will determine what happens in Taiwan and the Pacific.”

“I believe the best deterrence to Chairman Xi is a failure for Putin in Ukraine,” he added.

House Republicans remain split on whether the United States should send additional aid to Ukraine in its more than a year-long effort against Russia. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) warned in October that there would be no “blank check” sent to Ukraine if Republicans control the House.

McCaul led a bipartisan delegation to Taiwan last week after McCarthy met with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen with a group of lawmakers. McCarthy said the meeting provided for “greater peace and stability for the world,” as China raised objections and warned of escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

McCaul also said Sunday that China will try to influence Taiwan’s next elections “without a shot fired.” He added that Taiwan’s defense systems are “not where they need to be” in a hypothetical invasion by China.