[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 47 (Wednesday, March 16, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1194-S1195]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                Ukraine

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, this morning, Members of Congress 
received an update on the situation in Ukraine directly from President 
Zelenskyy. His presentation was powerful and heart-wrenching. It 
reinforced our sympathy, our outrage, and our resolve.
  President Zelenskyy's courage and leadership have earned the 
attention and the admiration of the entire free world. He has marshaled 
Ukraine's brave and defiant resistance against Russian invasion. He has 
steeled the resolve of his people beyond what anybody expected and 
offered the entire world a master class in leadership.
  This morning, President Zelenskyy didn't mince words about what 
Ukraine needs urgently to keep up the fight: more lethal capabilities 
and heavier sanctions against Russia and especially the air defense 
systems that we should have helped Ukraine get weeks ago. His people 
face a long and difficult road ahead, and the entire world knows what 
they are up against.
  The scale of Russia's aggression wasn't just foreseeable; it was 
foreseen. For 30 years, every step toward democracy and sovereignty in 
Eastern Europe has tempted the wrath of revanchist autocrats like 
Putin. That is why I have asked the Biden administration early and 
often to demonstrate America's commitment to our allies and partners 
most squarely in Russia's crosshairs.
  Last June, 8 months before the Russian invasion, I urged the 
President to ``provide serious, lethal support to Ukraine and other 
vulnerable states on the front lines of Putin's aggressions''--8 months 
ago. In December, I specifically called on President Biden to deploy 
extra U.S. forces to reinforce NATO's eastern flank--last December. I 
urged his administration to expedite and expand shipments of lethal aid 
like anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons. But, as we know, a security 
assistance package for Ukraine sat down at the White House for months 
before being approved. Once approved, efforts to transfer the weapons 
moved at the speed of bureaucracy. And the President waited until 
February to order U.S. personnel to the frontlines.
  The Biden administration had over a year to get this right. They had 
a year to translate rhetorical support for NATO into leading real, 
collective defense. But they took 5 months to even nominate an 
ambassador to the alliance.
  On the campaign trail, President Biden called Putin a ``KGB thug.'' 
He was right about that. But after 1 week in office, he announced an 
agreement with the Kremlin to extend the New START treaty for up to 5 
years, reducing our leverage to get a better deal that caps Putin's 
nuclear ambitions.
  As the threats to Ukraine gathered, whenever an opportunity to act 
has presented itself, the Biden administration has hesitated until 
political pressure became overwhelming or balked outright.
  Since Russia's invasion began, the administration has publicly shot 
down efforts from a NATO ally to get working aircraft to Ukrainian 
pilots. Last

[[Page S1195]]

Monday, the White House scuttled a bipartisan congressional bill to end 
normal trade relations with Russia, only to make a public show on 
Friday of calling for exactly the same action.
  At every step of the way--every step of the way--the self-deterred 
White House has insisted its hesitation and restraint was aimed at 
avoiding escalation, but at every step, Putin has escalated.
  Now, 3 weeks into Putin's invasion, the reality on the ground is 
evolving. It is harder now than it would have been a few months ago to 
keep the pipeline of weapons and supplies and intelligence for 
Ukraine's brave resistance open. Russia's air offensive in particular 
is hitting a deadlier, more aggressive stride. But, as I have been 
saying literally for months, it is not too late for the Biden 
administration to do the right thing. So here is what President Biden 
should be doing right now:
  No. 1, he should use the money and authorities we have just provided 
him to expand the scope of our lethal aid to Ukraine to include more 
effective, longer range air defense capabilities. That means working 
with NATO allies with urgency to get Ukrainian pilots more aircraft and 
munitions and facilitating the transfer of weapons Ukraine's forces are 
most familiar with, like air defense systems from countries with 
stockpiles of Soviet legacy systems. President Zelenskyy specifically 
pleaded for these air defense systems this morning--this morning.
  No. 2, President Biden should deploy more U.S. forces to reinforce 
NATO's eastern flank and use the new drawdown and loan guarantee 
authorities to help harden the defenses of our frontline allies and 
partners. Many of these partners are generously helping Ukraine, and we 
should help them backfill their inventories with more modern American 
capabilities that will improve NATO's interoperability and bolster 
deterrence at the same time.

  No. 3, on a trip to Europe next week, President Biden should go 
beyond Brussels. He should go to countries like Poland, Romania, or 
Lithuania to meet with NATO eastern flank allies. He should look beyond 
NATO to deepen our diplomatic security cooperation with important 
American partners like Finland and Sweden.
  Finally, if President Biden wants the United States to lead our 
allies by example and to keep pace with adversaries like Russia and 
China, the place to start is with robust investments in our own defense 
capabilities. The coming year's appropriations process is an 
opportunity to finally--finally--show we are serious.
  Vladimir Putin has proven to the world that he is willing to stoop 
low in pursuit of power, and he has shown us exactly--exactly--how he 
responds to weakness. We cannot afford to stay behind the curve. 
America must lead and lead with strength.
  A few minutes ago, President Zelenskyy reminded us that the United 
States is, indeed, the leader of the free world, so it is time we acted 
like it.