Urge Congress to Fund Ukraine Defense and Expedite Air Defense Shipments

Russia's ongoing assault on Ukraine's energy infrastructure demands immediate congressional action to restore military aid and accelerate weapons deliveries. On Saturday, Russian forces struck the Burshtynska and Dobrotvirska power plants in western Ukraine, causing emergency power outages across most Ukrainian regions. More than 1,110 apartment blocks in Kyiv alone remain without heat, with night-time temperatures dropping to -8°C (18°F). Ukrainians are being forced to endure freezing conditions as a deliberate weapon of war. President Zelenskyy has called for faster action in strengthening Ukrainian air defenses, particularly small-scale components to counter attack drones. The need is urgent and the deficiency is clear. Yet the United States has halted all military aid to Ukraine even as European partners continue funding the defense effort. This abandonment contradicts our 1994 Budapest Memorandum commitment, in which the United States pledged to respect and defend Ukraine's sovereignty in exchange for their nuclear disarmament. The European Commission announced Friday a comprehensive ban on services supporting Russia's seaborne crude oil exports, targeting the third of Russian oil transported in western tankers from Greece, Cyprus, and Malta. This measure will curtail Moscow's key income source for the war. The United States imposed similar sanctions on Venezuela but has been inexplicably slow to take comparable action against Russian energy exports, allowing Russia to continue funding its attacks on civilian infrastructure. Congress must immediately restore funding for Ukraine's defense and ensure rapid delivery of air defense systems already promised. The contrast is stark: Europeans are paying while we delay shipments. I urge you to speak out publicly in support of Ukraine aid legislation and work with colleagues to expedite weapons transfers, particularly air defense capabilities. Our credibility as a security guarantor and the survival of Ukrainian civilians through winter depend on congressional action now.