    [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 36 (Monday, February 24, 2025)]
    [Senate]
    [Pages S1306-S1307]
    From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                                 Vladimir Putin

      Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, 3 years ago, Vladimir Putin brought war
    and destruction to the free people of Ukraine. Three years ago, a
    powerful, hungry autocrat broke the peace in Europe, violated the
    sovereignty of an independent democracy, and rolled tanks and weapons
    and troops across the Ukrainian borders without provocation or
    justification.
      Vladimir Putin has sealed his place in history as an enemy to
    democracy, to freedom, and to peace. He has killed tens of thousands of
    innocent civilians. His rockets have destroyed homes and churches and
    schools and hospitals--deliberately, in many cases.
      A year ago, I was there. I saw the destruction. I saw parking lots
    being turned into mass graves. I spoke with soldiers near the border
    trying to defend their homes. And I felt the deep resolve of the
    Ukrainian people. I felt the value of America's leadership and the
    international struggle to push back against Putin's evil aggression.
      Today, we remember Bucha, we remember the atrocities in Mariupol, and
    we remember everywhere where Putin's horrors have touched. We honor the
    lives lost at the hands of Russia's war of aggression, and we will not
    let Vladimir Putin and his thugs off the hook.
      For 3 years, the United States has been clear on where we stand. We
    have stood on the side of democracy, the inviability of borders, and
    the freedom of nations--and against Vladimir Putin.
      We passed in this Chamber robust, bipartisan security assistance. The
    United States united the leaders of the West, and for years we
    succeeded in turning Putin into a pariah.
      But today, on this third anniversary of Putin's war, Donald Trump is
    turning his back on the values that America stands for of democracy, of
    security, and of liberty. Instead of standing up to Putin, Donald Trump
    is siding with him and against our own allies. Instead of condemning
    Putin's lies, Donald Trump is parroting Russian misinformation and
    propaganda, in defiance of all evidence, without regard to any facts,
    and with utter contempt for the truth.
      Today, President Trump met with President Macron. President Macron is
    advising Donald Trump not to show weakness--not to show weakness--to
    Putin at this pivotal moment. Donald Trump should heed President
    Macron's warning, or else Putin is going to eat his lunch, and America
    is going to suffer in the long term.
      American support of a pro-Western democracy under attack is not
    charity. It is about our own long-term security. For Donald Trump to
    show weakness to Putin is to endanger America's security tomorrow.
      If history tells us one thing about autocrats, it is that their
    hunger is never satiated. It is never enough. They will keep going one
    way or another until they are halted.
      What are Poland and Latvia and Lithuania and Estonia supposed to
    think about Putin's belligerence next door to them? What is NATO
    supposed to make of Donald Trump's eagerness to deal with autocrats
    instead of our own allies?
      If Donald Trump sells out democracy in Europe today, what will Donald
    Trump sell out tomorrow? Democracy in America? Our national security,
    which he is already starting to do?
      The way Donald Trump is engaging with Vladimir Putin right now is not
    going to make America any safer in the long run. This all goes back to
    a pattern we have seen from Donald Trump from the very beginning. He
    has always admired autocrats, strongmen, and bullies; always shown
    contempt for the rule of law, for truth, for accountability, for
    facts--because his ultimate goal is to skew things in favor of the
    wealthy and corrupt few at the expense of everybody else.
      Just like his push for taxes, just like his empowering DOGE, Donald
    Trump's modus operandi is to trample on safeguards and basic
    accountability--values central to any free democracy--in order to allow
    corrupt billionaires, the wealthy few, and cronies to fill in the void.

    [[Page S1307]]

      This is exactly the world Vladimir Putin wants, and little by little,
    Donald Trump is helping him make it happen.