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Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, like a number of Senators on both sides of the aisle, I spent the first part of last week meeting with our NATO allies and our European partners in Munich.

In Munich, we met an array of world leaders, including a bipartisan meeting with German Chancellor Scholz. It is clear from our meetings in Munich that Europe is moving in the right direction, but more must be done across the alliance to rebuild our defense capacity and to give Ukraine the weapons they need to defeat Russia's aggression.

After the Munich Security Conference, Senators Tillis, Ernst, Budd, Britt, Ricketts, and I continued on to meet with more American partners in both Europe and the Middle East, where we met up with Senator Mullin as well. We met with both President Herzog and Prime Minister Netanyahu in Israel, with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, with the President of the UAE, as well as the President of Finland.

We had the pleasure of meeting some of our own American diplomats and civilian personnel who were on the ground advancing our Nation's interests in each of these places. I was especially happy to meet some of the men and women serving in our Armed Forces who are onsite at installations in these countries or stationed protecting our Embassies. It was a great honor to run into some fellow Kentuckians serving in the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing at Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE.

Here in Washington, you hear American leadership in the world discussed and debated like it is some fuzzy concept or abstract principle, but let me tell you, when you travel to Europe, when you travel to the Middle East, when you meet with the civilian and military leadership in those nations that are America's friends and wish us well--well, there is nothing unclear about the importance of America's leading role in the world. Our friends in Europe know beyond any doubt that peace and prosperity depend on a strong and involved America. Our partners in the Middle East know without a doubt that security and stability rely on a strong and involved America.

We are the indispensable Nation. Our superpower status is paramount-- not just for these other countries but even more importantly, for our own interests here at home. Putting up our drawbridge and pretending we can go it alone as ``Fortress America'' will not cut it--will not cut it--in the 21st century. It would put the future of our economic security, energy security, and national security at enormous risk.

The need for American leadership is palpable. My colleagues and I will have much more to say on this subject in the coming days.

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