Durbin Calls Out House Republicans For Abandoning Aid To Ukraine Following Death Of Alexei Navalny

Floor Speech

“Just before our recent recess, the Senate overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan aid package, notably to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia. Ukraine has fought a heroic, historic, [and significant] battle to defend its independence and democracy, thwarting a full-scale Russian invasion two years ago and showing the world how to stand up to a bully like Vladimir Putin. In fact, its resistance to Russia has major security impacts and benefits for our larger western security. But as everyone in Congress knows, Ukraine urgently needs more weapons and assistance and needs it now. Our European allies approved their aid earlier this month. But despite European and U.S. Senate support, many almost unbelievable events have occurred over the past few weeks that endanger Ukrainian chances at success and global security.

The House of Representatives has remained passive, detached, [and] silent for the past two weeks on the Senate-passed national security supplemental bill, with its leadership subservient to Donald Trump who, in turn, is just enamored, a real bromance with Vladimir Putin. Last week, true to form, former President Trump went as far as to encourage Russia to attack fellow NATO members. Furthermore, on the global stage, public reports have suggested that Putin is thinking of putting some kind of nuclear weapon in space… And amidst all of this, Russian opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, died in a Russian gulag prison just before a sham election in which Putin is afraid of any real competition.

Why would Trump-beholden Republicans fawn over Putin, a wanted war criminal responsible for kidnapping 20,000 Ukrainian children and taking them to Russia—a stunning number that is likely far higher. Or imagine the scene shared by my colleague from Hawaii—that of Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines checking their phones to see whether House Republicans passed our Ukrainian aid package… These soldiers are fighting with their lives for democracy and security in Europe while House Republicans do nothing. It’s time for House Republicans to pass this urgently needed aid package without further delay.

Not long after his return, [Kara-Murza] was arrested for criticizing Putin’s war in Ukraine. He showed the same kind of patriotic courage as his compatriot, Alexei Navalny. Navalny, Kara-Murza, and the Ukrainians on the front lines are brave patriots in this world—heroes Congress should look to for inspiration and courage instead of a resort in Florida known as Mar-a-Lago.

But unlike the hooded Putin thugs trying to erase Navalny’s memory by arresting mourners and quickly removing flowers left at makeshift memorials, it will force Russian diplomats in Washington to be reminded every day of their crimes. I hope Congress will quickly pass this symbolically important measure and in a larger tribute to Navalny, our Ukrainian allies, and the thousands of kidnapped Ukrainian children—pass the supplemental without further delay.”

Source