[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 86 (Thursday, May 18, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E669-E670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             THE GROWING RUSSIAN MILITARY THREAT IN EUROPE

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 18, 2017

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, yesterday in my capacity as Co-
Chairman of the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, 
also known as the Helsinki Commission, I participated in a hearing to 
examine Russian military threats in the OSCE region.
  Russia today stands in violation of the central commitments of the 
Helsinki Final Act. These commitments include respect for the 
territorial integrity of States, fundamental freedoms, and the 
fulfillment in good faith of obligations under international law. In 
violating these commitments, Russia is threatening the

[[Page E670]]

foundations of European security and recklessly endangering the lives 
of millions.
  One such victim of Russian aggression is Joseph Stone, the 36-year-
old American medic who was killed by a landmine while on patrol in 
separatist-controlled eastern Ukraine with the OSCE's Special 
Monitoring Mission on April 23rd. If it weren't for Russia's 
unjustifiable aggression toward Ukraine's sovereignty there would be no 
need for such a monitoring mission. And yet, day after day, OSCE 
monitors put themselves in harm's way to try to reduce the tensions 
created by the reckless conduct of Russia and its proxies in eastern 
Ukraine. It is a conflict that has already claimed over ten thousand 
lives, and sadly is sure to claim more.
  Russian aggression is not a localized phenomenon--it threatens the 
entire region. Moscow has seized sovereign territory by force, 
threatened to use tactical nuclear weapons against other countries, 
harassed U.S. and NATO military assets, and abandoned key transparency 
measures and commitments. These actions are unacceptable.
  In the face of such provocations, the United States must leave no 
doubt that we stand behind our Eastern European and Baltic Allies. 
There is no time to waste: we must ensure the confidence of our friends 
at this critical juncture.
  One way to do this is to continue building a credible conventional 
deterrent to Russian aggression alongside our allies, in particular 
Poland and the Baltic States. I have consistently supported robust 
funding for the European Reassurance Initiative. With the support of 
this initiative, since 2014, NATO members have held over 1,000 military 
exercises in Europe. ERI has allowed the U.S. to participate more 
extensively in such exercises and increase its deployment of soldiers 
and military assets in allied countries. Furthermore, it has helped us 
to build the capacity of our partners and generally make our commitment 
to European security felt. These kinds of activities must be sustained 
and expanded to ensure that we are ready to counter any threat at any 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, the United States must act, bilaterally and within NATO, 
to robustly deter, defend against, and roll back Russian aggression in 
the OSCE region. This includes ensuring that Ukraine has the defensive 
weapons it needs to more effectively repel Russian occupying forces and 
respond to Russian-backed proxies. As Ukraine President Petro 
Poroshenko told a joint session of Congress several years ago, ``One 
cannot win the war with blankets.'' That is at true today as it was 
then.
  If Russia's invasion, occupation, and fracturing of Ukraine stands, 
then Russia will be emboldened to do likewise in other neighboring 
countries. It is in the interests of the United States to help ensure 
that the Russian Federation does not become the new Soviet Union, 
invading, occupying and annexing its neighbors.

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