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Floor Speech
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Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I rise today with my colleague from the great State of Ohio, Senator Portman, to share with the Senate and the country some of the things that we learned from our recent trip to Ukraine.
I first want to thank Senator Portman. He comes to the floor every week--never gives up, whether things are good or bad--to talk about what is happening in Ukraine.
President Zelenskyy was incredibly grateful--that was the first thing he wanted us to report back to the Senate and to the country-- incredibly grateful for all America has done to stand with Ukraine.
We know that this is a country that has given its all. Sometimes we wonder in our own country: What would we put on the line for democracy? Are we going to vote? Or things like that. The people in this country have put their very lives on the line every single day: ballerinas donning camo and going to the frontline; exhausted workers at a nuclear plant trying to protect not just Ukraine but all of Europe in what is the biggest nuclear powerplant in Europe and which supplies 20 percent of Ukrainian energy; the cellist playing beautiful melodies in the bombed-out remnants of a town square to remind people that no matter what Vladimir Putin did to their country, no matter what he did with his inhumane barbarism, culture and love is there in Ukraine, and it is not going away.
Senator Portman and I visited the mass grave in Bucha, and in Irpin we saw many, many apartment buildings that were completely blown apart from the bombs.
We saw firsthand the strength of the Ukrainian people and their leaders. But just as Vladimir Putin has shown his true colors with the bombing and the shelling near a nuclear powerplant, the people of Ukraine have shown their colors in a brilliant yellow and blue. Over the past 6 months since the invasion, their bravery and humanity consistently shine through.
We had, together, traveled to Ukraine. And the last group of Senators who visited before the war started was Senators Shaheen, Murphy, Blumenthal, Cramer, and Wicker. We witnessed the incredible resolve of the people back then, and it has only grown stronger.
In our meeting with President Zelenskyy for over an hour and with Defense Minister Reznikov and the President's Chief of Staff, we heard, time and time again: the helpfulness of the HIMARS. In fact, the Embassy staff told us that they went to a takeout place in Ukraine and that the people who worked in the restaurant didn't even know they were with our Embassy but knew they were American, and they gave them their bag of food, and on the bag was written the words ``Thanks for the HIMARS.'' That is how the people of Ukraine are focused day in and day out on what is happening in their region.
We also, of course, talk about the counteroffensive, and I know Senator Portman will talk in detail about what is happening. And we know the fight is not over. Russia has retaliated by striking infrastructure just in the last few days, and Ukraine is still on the move. But, if anything, this is certainly a sign that our aid--our humanitarian aid, our economic aid, and our military aid--has been very helpful.
The situation, of course, remains dangerous, especially in the Zaporizhzhia region, where the nuclear powerplant is located. We have a situation where the Russians have been bombing and shelling around that plant, where several times Ukrainians have lost power for the power that powers that plant. But also, of course, that plant provides energy. All of it is dangerous.
We called for the IAEA when we were there--they visited literally the next day--to be able to inspect that plant. They were able to--14 inspectors, with 2 being allowed to stay on indefinitely. And, of course, we have called for a demilitarized zone, as has our government.
We also got to meet with the 101st Airborne in Poland, and they, again, underscored our commitment to our NATO allies, the work they have been doing, including helping the Ukrainians remotely to make repairs on various missiles and various weapons and the like. It is an incredible story.
Last week, our administration reported that Moscow is in the process of purchasing rockets and artillery shells from North Korea. It shows how much trouble they are in.
This Senate voted nearly unanimously to allow Finland and Sweden to join NATO. That must happen as quickly as possible because we want to see a united front. As Senator Portman pointed out many times on our trip, there are over 40 nations that are aiding in this effort; it is not America alone.
I always think of that viral video that President Zelenskyy did. He knew the importance of staying in his country and not abandoning his post when the Russians invaded. If you think back to that day, if he had done that, if he had left for a safer location, we would never be where we are today, standing up for democracy. But what he said that night was simply this: We are here. He said: We are here. From that moment on, he and his people inspired the world. Now it is our time to ensure the Ukrainians--as we move forward with our next continuing resolution and supplemental with the budget--that we are here for them; that we know what they are up against, and it is evil, and we stand with their democracy.
Again, I want to thank Senator Portman for his incredible leadership in working with our leadership, our military, but also the Ukrainian leadership. They know him well.
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