Top US House Democrats pledge Congressional action to bolster support for Ukraine

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Three senior House Democrats pledged Monday to pursue legislation to strengthen US support for Ukraine, criticizing President Donald Trump’s approach to Russia and warning that reduced assistance could undermine Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian aggression.

Representatives Gregory W. Meeks, Adam Smith and Jim Himes issued a joint statement following a call between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a bipartisan group of members of Congress.

"The United States Congress stands strongly and unequivocally with Ukraine. Russia's continued campaign of war crimes and its slaughtering of innocent civilians, aided by the Trump Administration’s pro-Putin agenda, demands urgent and forceful action from Congress to reaffirm that support," they said.

The lawmakers argued that Congress should take a more active role in determining US policy toward Ukraine, asserting that the administration’s current approach cannot be relied upon to maintain the level of support Kyiv requires.

“While Donald Trump has made clear that he is abandoning Ukraine in favor of (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, we remain committed to working urgently with Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle to advance legislation to compel the Trump Administration to deliver to Ukraine the security, economic, and intelligence support it needs to defend its people from Putin’s brutal and illegal invasion,” the lawmakers said.

They argued that reducing Ukraine’s capacity to defend itself would not lead to a lasting peace agreement.

“The Trump Administration has shown it cannot be trusted to do the right thing in support of Ukraine,” they said, contending that weakening Kyiv’s defenses would be both morally wrong and contrary to US interests and those of its allies.

"Congress must act and do what this administration refuses to do: Stand up for Ukraine, defend America's interests, and make clear that autocratic aggression will not be rewarded," they said.

Diyar Güldoğan