[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 26 (Thursday, February 5, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S504]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Vladimir Putin

  Mr. WICKER. Mr. President, this month we will reach the fourth 
anniversary of Vladimir Putin's unprovoked and illegal invasion of 
Ukraine.
  As we all know, Vladimir Putin is a war criminal, a KGB alumnus, an 
oppressor of the Russian people, and we also are finding out more and 
more that he is really bad at fighting a war.
  For 4 years, Putin has insisted that Russian victory is just around 
the corner. That is his dream, but it is a lie. The facts show that 
Putin is nowhere close to winning. Here are the facts: During the year 
2024, Russia captured 0.6 percent of Ukrainian territory. Last year, it 
captured 0.8 percent. So 2 years of massive, tragic bloodshed caused by 
Vladimir Putin has resulted in 1.4 percent of enemy territory taken.
  So he is bad at tactics, he is bad at strategy, but he sent millions 
of Russian men into battle in his unprovoked and illegal invasion, 
inflicting 1.2 million casualties on his own people, on his own Russian 
people--1.2 million Russian casualties. He may have at one time been a 
successful KGB torturer, but he is a failure at today's attempt to 
overrun his neighbor by force.
  The Russian dictator is actually breaking records for his inability 
to achieve battlefield gains. Since 2024, his most significant 
offensives have scraped a meager 16 yards to 75 yards of ground per 
day--less than the length of a football field. This is among the 
slowest military campaigns since World War I. This would be 
embarrassing if it weren't so tragic for the civilized world and so 
tragic for the Russian people, not to mention the Ukrainian people.
  Since Putin's military campaign is failing, he has now doubled down 
on his attacks on civilians--unarmed civilians. As we all know, a 
bitter cold snap has descended on Ukraine, and the maniacal Vladimir 
Putin has turned this winter into a weapon. He has systematically 
targeted energy sites, wiping out power and turning homes into 
freezers. The results--specifically directed at civilians, directed at 
mothers and children--have been deadly. Putin knows that he has failed 
to achieve his objectives on the battlefield, so he continues trying to 
achieve it through civilian torture--even today.
  Indeed, Putin has failed in his two overriding goals. First of all, 
he has not weakened NATO. Under Putin's watch, NATO has expanded and 
awakened. Secondly, he has not brought Ukraine into Russia's orbit. 
Ukraine and its people have overwhelmingly moved philosophically 
further from Russia and toward the civilized democracies of this world.
  Putin is failing, but he still peddles the lie that Russian victory 
is right around the corner. And some American voices are repeating this 
misinformation. They are echoing this. And we have heard this for 
years. Yet, in spite of his years of failure, Vladimir Putin persists 
for the moment in killing Ukrainians and causing the deaths of Russians 
and his allies.
  We must show him it is time to stop, and that is what I am urging our 
government to do and this Senate to do. The West should unite around 
security guarantees and a framework for a just end to this war.
  NATO will continue purchasing American-made weapons for Ukraine. The 
United States can and should get Ukraine more offensive and defensive 
aerial capabilities. Congress should take up the Russian sanctions 
bill. We know it has overwhelming support on this side of the aisle, on 
that side of the aisle, and at the other end of the building. What are 
we waiting for? Let's do it.
  Secretary Hegseth and I have worked together to expedite weapons 
development. Already, we are seeing progress there. This week, the U.S. 
Air Force live-tested a new, low-cost, air-launched cruise missile 
called ERAM, and we did so just 16 months after the initial contract--
impressive. We can do better than that, but that is impressive. The 
missiles are now headed to Ukraine. We continue to work to stand up a 
pipeline of novel capabilities, built by American industry and built by 
American manufacturing workers, with which we can arm our ally Ukraine.
  For years, the Russian military has flung itself against the rock of 
a country it covets and a country it dwarfs in size but moving more 
slowly than nearly any military in a century. We need to show Vladimir 
Putin that it is time to stop. We must not let him off the mat. We must 
increase the pressure.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.