Standing with Ukraine

Floor Speech

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Mr. ESPAILLAT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today and stand with our brothers and sisters who are fighting for democracy, Mr. Speaker, for their country, for the world, in Ukraine.

As you may know, Mr. Speaker, New York City is a gorgeous mosaic of people from all over the world. In my district, the 13th Congressional District, I stand in solidarity with constituents that come from Ukraine, Ukrainian Americans and Ukrainians who are part of my district.

New York City stands in solidarity with them. People in the Brighton Beach area of Brooklyn, called Little Odessa today, we stand in solidarity with our Ukrainian brothers and sisters.

Vladimir Putin has waged a war--it is called Putin's war--of unprecedented proportions on the people of Ukraine, the likes of which we haven't seen since World War II, Mr. Speaker.

He continues to pound on civilian sites. As he waits to assault Kyiv, the world braces for what could be, really, an attack of unprecedented proportion as he prepares to slaughter the Ukrainian people and engage in, clearly, war crimes.

These unprovoked and unjustified attacks have caused tragic losses in human life and suffering. They are grandparents. They are moms with their little children being forced out of their homes out of fear of rocket attacks; fathers, uncles, cousins leaving their families behind to defend democracy in Ukraine and on behalf of the world.

This week, the Permanent Representative of Ukraine at the United Nations told the Security Council that hundreds of Ukrainian civilians have been killed, including children, Mr. Speaker.

Thousands of people are wounded as a result of Russia's military aggression as Vladimir Putin continues to engage, to perpetrate war crimes.

This is a war without remorse, Mr. Speaker. More than 1,000 civilians have died, and more than 1.5 million Ukrainians have been displaced, causing a humanitarian crisis.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Putin, Vladimir Putin, has engaged in war crimes. This isn't just Putin's war on Ukraine. It is a rebuke of Western values. It is a rebuke of democratic structures. It is a rebuke of the will of the people and basic human rights. It is a rebuke of law and order and peaceful coexisting.

He has doubled down, Mr. Speaker, and has premeditatedly, illegally, and immorally engaged in this war. But those on the front lines in Ukraine are relentless in their defense of democracy.

It is our duty, Mr. Speaker, to support Ukraine to the best of our ability, to defend its freedom and sovereignty from Putin's war.

President Zelensky's message is clear. He will defend Ukrainian sovereignty and statehood to the very end, and America must, we must, stand with him and every Ukrainian.

I commend President Biden's rallying calls to our allies in response to Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, and urge continued support for the Ukrainian people as they violently resist tyranny in the name of freedom and democracy.

Putin's actions are barbaric. They are a disregard of human rights, violating Ukrainian sovereignty and posing a threat to all of us across the planet.

His actions are hurting the people of Russia as well. Dozens of cities across Russia saw people being arrested as they demonstrated against this illegal war.

It is heartbreaking that during Women's History Month, on International Women's Day, we are witnessing thousands of Ukrainian women fleeing their homeland with their children to bordering countries.

The United States and our allies must do everything in our power to prevent this from happening again.

Mr. Speaker, I have introduced a resolution calling on Vladimir Putin and the Russians to be held accountable for war crimes.

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