[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 18, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S2554]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                                Ukraine

  Mr. President, now on an entirely different matter, the Ukraine 
people and their fight to repel Russian invaders from their sovereign 
territory has been inspiring. The world is watching Ukraine respond to 
gut-wrenching violence with bravery and with unity.
  I encourage President Biden to do more to strengthen Ukraine and 
NATO's defenses well in advance so as to deter Putin and improve 
Ukraine's initial ability to resist aggression. Many Republicans shared 
my view that President Biden should have done more to help Ukraine more 
quickly.
  Fortunately, as the Ukrainians have stood strong, President Biden has 
done more and more to help them in the fight. We are now investing to 
ensure Ukraine's forces are equipped to win and the arsenals of NATO 
allies who have joined in support can be replenished.
  As I explained yesterday, American support for Ukraine is not mere 
altruism. The outcome of Ukraine's fight to preserve its sovereignty 
will have massive consequences for our own strategic interests, both in 
Europe and much farther afield.
  So let's start with just that continent. Europe is home to some of 
America's longest-standing friendships and deepest trading 
partnerships. If Vladimir Putin's thuggish imperialism found success in 
Ukraine, America and our allies would certainly feel the effects. Prior 
to the current conflict in Ukraine, Putin's creeping expansionism, his 
interventions and manipulations of so-called frozen conflicts from 
Georgia and Crimea and Transnistria, only emboldened him. He must be 
stopped.
  Beyond Europe's borders, Putin's fellow strongmen are watching all 
this to find out whether it is safe to follow his lead. In Beijing, 
President Xi's Communist Party is looking for a green light to apply 
the Russian model to their own wish list of sovereign territories to 
subjugate, starting, of course, with Taiwan. For their part, the 
Taiwanese people know they are in the crosshairs. As they demonstrated 
in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, the warning on the island in 
recent months has been ``Today Ukraine. Tomorrow, Taiwan.''
  As Taiwan's Foreign Minister put it recently in the Washington Post, 
``[T]he war in Ukraine has made it clear to the world how important it 
is for democracies to stand shoulder to shoulder against authoritarian 
aggression.''
  Fortunately, fellow democracies in the Indo-Pacific are doing exactly 
that. Earlier this month, Japan's Defense Minister acknowledged that 
China has been ``carefully observing'' both ``Russia's aggression'' and 
the reactions of the international community. And Prime Minister 
Kishida reaffirmed that we must ``never tolerate a unilateral attempt 
to change the status quo by the use of force in the Indo Pacific.''
  From Kyiv to Taipei and to Tokyo, America's friends and partners see 
Russia's behavior for exactly what it is: a dangerous spark to be 
stamped out. Ukraine is succeeding in large part because it took its 
security seriously. Especially since the 2014 invasion, Ukraine 
reformed its military training, doctrine, and operations. They 
abandoned the outdated Soviet model for a more dynamic Western 
approach. With help from the West, Ukraine invested in its 
capabilities.
  Other allies and partners should heed these lessons sooner rather 
than later. They should invest in their own defenses, seek 
interoperability with like-minded partners, and seize opportunities to 
train with top-tier militaries like our own. We must continue to help 
them do exactly that.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.