Supporting Ukraine's Independence

Floor Speech

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Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Marcy Kaptur and Representative Mike Quigley for so ably, faithfully, and loyally co-chairing the Congressional Ukraine Caucus for us and for bringing us here to the floor tonight to remember how urgent it is that we support Ukraine and how urgent it is that we support the peace process that results in the protection of the sovereignty of Ukraine and its democracy.

We have reached a Chamberlain or Churchill moment. As cease-fire negotiations start and stop between Ukraine and Russia, the United States must stand firm in our support of Ukraine's young democracy.

History makes clear that appeasing a bloodthirsty dictator in Europe simply does not work. It only encourages him to continue his aggression, press for more territory, and shed more innocent blood.

Just last week, Russia launched a barbaric missile strike on Kyiv that killed and injured more than 100 Ukrainians.

Since Russia began this unprovoked war more than 3 years ago, tens of thousands of Ukrainians have paid with their lives, and we must never forget the more than 20,000 children from Ukraine who have been forcibly deported by Russia and remain missing.

I remind our President and our Vice President that it was Putin who started this ruthless and illegal war more than 3 years ago and, we must not forget, 11 years ago in Crimea.

To endorse a so-called peace deal that fulfills Russia's every wish and forces our Ukrainian allies to bend to Putin's will by ceding their sovereign territory is beyond disgraceful. It is disgusting, and it is un-American.

This weekend, I was struck by the images of President Trump's private meeting with President Zelenskyy at the Vatican, which took place as the world mourned the passing of Pope Francis. Pope Francis was a global leader of humility, of empathy, and of service. He was a faithful man who advocated for peace, not appeasement. That must be our goal.

Last week, I joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers on a trip to the United Kingdom, Israel, Jordan, and Denmark to meet with our allies abroad. I met with European leaders, and over and over, I heard the same refrain that they want to work with us. They want us to stay with them. They are increasing their military support for defense as is their obligation, and they want to do whatever we can to ensure Ukraine's protection and sovereignty because what happens to Ukraine and its young democracy happens to theirs and happens to ours.

The conversations were filled with such emotion and a clear desire to do the right thing. As cease-fire talks continue, may we strive for an end to this devastating war, to its suffering for all of Europe, frankly, but obviously so much so for the people of Ukraine, and we must do it through strength.

I will end with this: With the passing of the Holy Father and holding on to a promise of my faith, he reminded us over and over again of the Gospel of Matthew: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.

I plead for this administration to help bring us peace, no appeasement, peace through the sovereignty of the democracy that is Ukraine, our friend and our ally.

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Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania. I do. They are noble in what they have done.

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Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, maybe I will end by just thanking Representative Kaptur again for the lead she has taken on this. It means a lot to my district.

As my friend knows, I have a very large Ukrainian-American population, cultural center, churches, and just extraordinary constituents. I learned so much from them.

As Ms. Kaptur says, they have prepared--whether they are Ukrainian- American or not, the folks in my district care desperately about this. I have one woman who has been physically a part of delivering ambulances to Ukraine and so many other materials.

We ought to look at the folks, the people of Ukraine, led by President Zelenskyy, with such admiration. We ought to say that we should do everything we possibly can to support them, everything they need to win. We have to finish that sentence: Everything they need to win.

The win must not be through some sort of appeasement. It will not help. It will not work. Putin will go on to seek other territory and other land. He is very hungry for that. We must learn the lessons of Neville Chamberlain in 1938 and 1939, where he thought he was going somewhere toward peace and, of course, 1 year later, Hitler walked into Poland.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend very much for yielding.

Slava Ukraini.

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