"I’m not a great fan of this argument, that we can’t escalate. If you don’t escalate, you’re going to lose," Risch said during remarks at the Hudson Institute. "So, I’m all in for escalation."
Risch, the leading Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said he supports giving Ukraine most any military equipment except nuclear weapons, including F-16 fighter jets.
Risch added that he is not worried about the potential use of nuclear weapons by Russia in response to US actions.
The Biden administration is not considering giving Ukraine F-16 fighter jets at this time, White House National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said last week. The US is prioritizing the delivery of systems it believes Ukraine needs most in the coming weeks and months, Kirby said.
Last month, US President Joe Biden said F-16s are off the table "for now."