Discussion · Senate
Thom Tillis Republican
“Russia is attacking power plants and heating to freeze Ukrainian civilians this winter. We need to quickly send Ukraine the aid we already promised and enforce sanctions on Russia. If we do not stop Russia in Ukraine, it will attack other free countries next.”
“Mr. President, thanks again to my colleagues from Utah and Oklahoma. This graphic--by the way, the gentleman putting this graphic up is my staff--my MLA--Mike Leeman. It is his birthday today. I don’t know if that is allowed, to say that. I won’t sing ``Happy Birthday,’’ though, for the Parliamentarian’s sake. But Mike Leeman is one of the ones who coordinated the trip. You did a great job, Mike. Mike also prepared these stats for me because I want to give you an idea of what the winter is going to look like and what the Ukrainians are up against if last year is any indication. Between October 2525 and March of 2026, the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission documented at least 423 attacks on electricity generation, transmission, and distribution facilities; 74 strikes on combined heat and powerplants. Vladimir Putin is trying to freeze the Ukrainians to death. This is not targeting military facilities. It is targeting homes like people in the Gallery have here, hopefully, safely. It is targeting schools. It is targeting hospitals. In Kyiv, the attacks resulted in nearly 6,000 multistory buildings not having heat. That is what happened last year. Does anybody believe that Putin is going to do anything less this year? I could go through a long list of civilian targets, healthcare facilities, schools. Kids are meeting in subways now because they can’t safely go to school. That is the environment the Ukrainian people are living in year- round, but they have the unique threat of a harsh winter. And literally Putin’s strategy of terrorism is to freeze them to death in their homes. That is what we are up against. That is what he did last year. Many people died. What I am worried about--and what we need to do getting ready for this winter--is to change this trend. Our spending has dropped to almost nothing. Now, we are providing support and other forms beyond just the cash appropriations, but we need to do all of the above, ladies and gentlemen. With the proper execution of the sanctions that we have authorized the President to move forward with, with the proper resourcing--and they are not asking for a lot. This speech alone gives the Ukrainian people hope. They are a pro-American country, and the Ukrainian people need to know that the Americans are behind them, that Congress is behind them. And we need this administration to take a few steps to make it very clear that they are behind them too. And it starts with fast-tracking some of the funding that is available. I know it is complicated, but we have got to move quickly. And it also continues with the proper imposition of sanctions capabilities enabled in the bill that we passed in honor of Senator Lindsey Graham. So over the next 93 days that I have left in Congress, I am going to do everything I can to use every lever we can to convince the administration that we have got to make it a priority. We have to move quickly. The Ukrainian people are patient and still silently pro-American. I didn’t go anywhere without having people in bombed-out facilities thanking America for what we have done there. Well, I think in this winter America can do a little bit more and, if we do, Putin’s days are numbered. That is good for democracy, and that is great for the Western World. And that is our future--not a reemergence of the Russian Empire, not an opportunity to get success in Ukraine, move to Moldova, and try to Russify all of the free countries that the United States and the European nations liberated. That is the end goal, folks. It doesn’t stop with the occupied territory in Ukraine, unless America steps up, Europe continues to do its job, and we stop them in their tracks. And that, by the way, is not only good for Europe, but it is good for the Russian people who are suffering under his leadership. I am going to offer to my colleagues--we are going to be mindful of time. But if you would like to make a few closing comments, I want to thank you. I see at least one of the staff up in the audience. It was a trek. We were on planes, trains, and automobiles, but I can’t think of a more rewarding trip. I had the pleasure of traveling with you all and your staff, and I thank you. Senator Curtis, do you want to wind up, then Senator Armstrong?”
Mr. President, thanks again to my colleagues from Utah and Oklahoma. This graphic--by the way, the gentleman putting this graphic up is my staff--my MLA--Mike Leeman. It is his birthday today. I don’t know if that is allowed, to say that. I won’t sing ``Happy Birthday,’’ though, for the Parliamentarian’s sake. But Mike Leeman is one of the ones who coordinated the trip. You did a great job, Mike. Mike also prepared these stats for me because I want to give you an idea of what the winter is going to look like and what the Ukrainians are up against if last year is any indication. Between October 2525 and March of 2026, the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission documented at least 423 attacks on electricity generation, transmission, and distribution facilities; 74 strikes on combined heat and powerplants. Vladimir Putin is trying to freeze the Ukrainians to death. This is not targeting military facilities. It is targeting homes like people in the Gallery have here, hopefully, safely. It is targeting schools. It is targeting hospitals. In Kyiv, the attacks resulted in nearly 6,000 multistory buildings not having heat. That is what happened last year. Does anybody believe that Putin is going to do anything less this year? I could go through a long list of civilian targets, healthcare facilities, schools. Kids are meeting in subways now because they can’t safely go to school. That is the environment the Ukrainian people are living in year- round, but they have the unique threat of a harsh winter. And literally Putin’s strategy of terrorism is to freeze them to death in their homes. That is what we are up against. That is what he did last year. Many people died. What I am worried about--and what we need to do getting ready for this winter--is to change this trend. Our spending has dropped to almost nothing. Now, we are providing support and other forms beyond just the cash appropriations, but we need to do all of the above, ladies and gentlemen. With the proper execution of the sanctions that we have authorized the President to move forward with, with the proper resourcing--and they are not asking for a lot. This speech alone gives the Ukrainian people hope. They are a pro-American country, and the Ukrainian people need to know that the Americans are behind them, that Congress is behind them. And we need this administration to take a few steps to make it very clear that they are behind them too. And it starts with fast-tracking some of the funding that is available. I know it is complicated, but we have got to move quickly. And it also continues with the proper imposition of sanctions capabilities enabled in the bill that we passed in honor of Senator Lindsey Graham. So over the next 93 days that I have left in Congress, I am going to do everything I can to use every lever we can to convince the administration that we have got to make it a priority. We have to move quickly. The Ukrainian people are patient and still silently pro-American. I didn’t go anywhere without having people in bombed-out facilities thanking America for what we have done there. Well, I think in this winter America can do a little bit more and, if we do, Putin’s days are numbered. That is good for democracy, and that is great for the Western World. And that is our future--not a reemergence of the Russian Empire, not an opportunity to get success in Ukraine, move to Moldova, and try to Russify all of the free countries that the United States and the European nations liberated. That is the end goal, folks. It doesn’t stop with the occupied territory in Ukraine, unless America steps up, Europe continues to do its job, and we stop them in their tracks. And that, by the way, is not only good for Europe, but it is good for the Russian people who are suffering under his leadership. I am going to offer to my colleagues--we are going to be mindful of time. But if you would like to make a few closing comments, I want to thank you. I see at least one of the staff up in the audience. It was a trek. We were on planes, trains, and automobiles, but I can’t think of a more rewarding trip. I had the pleasure of traveling with you all and your staff, and I thank you. Senator Curtis, do you want to wind up, then Senator Armstrong?