[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 36 (Monday, February 28, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S816-S817]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                UKRAINE

  Mr. SCHUMER. Today is the fifth day since Russian President Vladimir 
Putin undermined decades--decades--of stability in Europe by launching 
an unprovoked, immoral, and terribly violent, vicious assault on 
Ukraine. This evening, the Senate will receive a classified update from 
the administration that Senator McConnell and I have requested, and we 
will be briefed on the situation on the ground and the steps that 
President Biden has taken to help the Ukrainian people.
  In the coming weeks, the Senate will also work on a bipartisan basis 
and in lockstep with the Biden administration to build a robust 
assistance package for Ukraine. The administration has asked for a $6.4 
billion package of humanitarian aid, of economic aid, and of the kind 
of military aid that will help the Ukrainians defend themselves, and we 
intend to work on a bipartisan basis to include it in the upcoming 
omnibus bill.
  Already, the reports of civilian casualties in Ukraine are just 
tragic. At least 350 civilians have been killed according to the 
Ukrainian Government. But amidst the violence, one thing is clear: the 
Ukrainian people are giving Putin a tougher fight than he, in his 
monomaniacal overconfidence, bargained for.
  There are two people in particular who deserve recognition in these 
early days: President Zelenskyy and President Biden. On the one hand, 
President Zelenskyy is facing the worst nightmare any head of state can 
face: a full assault on his country's sovereignty. But his bravery and 
defiance is inspiring. Many said he should leave the country. Putin 
thought he would run away. He said: Even though I may be their No. 1 
target, I am staying. What courage. What strength. And it gave the 
Ukrainian people and all the people in the Western world courage and 
strength as well to unite and do everything we can, each in our own 
way, to help the Ukrainian people keep their independence, their 
freedom, and their sovereignty. President Zelenskyy is admired all 
around the globe and most by the Ukrainian people whom he stood so 
strong for.

[[Page S817]]

  President Biden also deserves credit--credit that is due him for 
successfully bringing democracies together against Putin with crushing 
sanctions and an outpouring of security assistance. Today, President 
Putin is more isolated than ever before while democracies have rallied 
together, and this is much to the credit of President Biden. He has 
done an amazing job.
  Here in the United States, we stand unflinchingly with the people of 
Ukraine. Twenty-one years ago, in the aftermath of 9/11, Americans 
rallied together after our democracy was attacked here at home. Today, 
as democracy is under assault, we must come together in solidarity with 
the Ukrainian people. We should all be together supporting this 
country's efforts.
  When I said the President did an amazing job, here is one thing I was 
referring to: No one thought that the Europeans would go along with 
removing parts of the SWIFT system from the Russian financial system; 
no one thought that we would sanction the Russian Central Bank--two of 
the most powerful weapons we have, but the Europeans were going to be 
reluctant. Because President Biden was strong, was patient, was 
persistent, and didn't let himself get pushed around by would-be 
critics, that is now happening. Over the next several months--even now, 
today, but even more so as time goes on--those are going to have severe 
effects on President Putin.
  So he deserves a lot of credit, and I just hope we will all, all of 
us, come together, just as we did after 9/11 when freedom was under 
assault in our own country, and rally, united in supporting the 
President and what he is doing.

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