Congressional Ukraine Caucus Members Host Press Conference to Rally Support for Ukraine And Kick Off Ukrainian Week 2024: Bridging Nations, Fostering Collaboration
Washington, DC – Tuesday, January 30, Congressional Ukraine Caucus Co-Chairs Representatives Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Mike Quigley (IL-05), and Andy Harris (MD-01) were joined by Ukraine Caucus Members Steny Hoyer (MD-05), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jim Costa (CA-20), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), and Madeleine Dean (PA-04) for a press conference at the United States Capitol to Kick off Ukrainian Week 2024.
The week will consist of prominent Ukrainian non-profit and business leaders third annual Ukrainian Week, a flagship series of events serving as one of the largest advocacy platforms between Ukraine and the United States. Scheduled from January 29 to February 3, 2024, this week-long gathering is strategically poised to bring together Ukrainian and American leaders for discussions on enhancing collaboration and partnership opportunities.
Other notable attendees included Ukrainian soldiers and children who were repatriated from Russia—Rostyslav Lavrov (18), Yelyzaveta Batsura (16), Denys Berezhnyi (18), Kseniia and Serhii Koldin (19/12), Daiana Aripova (15), and Mykola Kuleba, Former Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights and CEO of Save Ukraine, Oleksiy Krasov, People's Deputy of Ukraine, Maryan Zablotskiy, People's Deputy of Ukraine, Anna Purtova, People's Deputy of Ukraine, Oleksii Tereshchuk, Head of the Military Chaplaincy Service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ukainian Defender Roman Gorodenskiy, Ukrainian Chaplain Kateryna Semenyuk, and Valeriy Antonyuk from the Union of Baptist churches of Ukraine.
"Across the continent of Europe lay the bodies of half a million American soldiers, who sacrificed their precious lives during the last century to bequeath Liberty to our generation. We did nothing to earn it. They gifted it to us. Their valor cleansed much of continental Europe and our world of tyranny. Our entire world benefitted from their infusion of freedom’s possibilities that have allowed human progress," said Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09). "But today a ripening 'Spiderweb of Tyranny' has formed — Russia, Iran, and North Korea develop weapons that are used lethally to hammer Ukraine into submission. This past weekend, US troops tragically lost their lives in the Middle East on Liberty’s watch to blunt the raw edge of terrorism that kills our Allies and war and terrorism has damaged our Homeland on 9/11 and taken the lives of our soldiers working to protect America. One cannot hide from tyranny. One must defeat it. Now is the moment for our nation and Congress to reaffirm our commitment to a foreign policy that promotes Liberty across our world. We owe it to our allies and those gathered here today to ensure that future generations of Ukrainians can live securely and peacefully with Liberty as their shield."
“When I visited Ukraine, walked through Bucha, and saw the mass graves there, I was reminded that humanity pledged ‘never again.’ Without assistance from the U.S. and the West, the devastation of Putin’s war crimes and his war machine would be tenfold," said Co-Chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, Congressman Mike Quigley (IL-05). "We must show resolve to our allies and adversaries alike, who recognize that our support for Ukraine sends a message to autocrats seeking land beyond their own boundaries."
“This shouldn’t be a Democrat or Republican issue, not a far right or far left issue,” said Co-Chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, Congressman Andy Harris (MD-01).
“One year and 11 months ago, Russia President Putin launched a brutal invasion in Ukraine and the world has changed. President Putin is a war criminal. Since this invasion, he's killed hundreds and thousands of civilians. Kidnapped, we believe over 100 ,000 children. Bombing schools, hospitals. I too was at Bucha and watched the mass grave at the church. This is the war criminal President Putin and has unleashed this unprovoked attack on the people of Ukraine," said Congressman Jim Costa (CA-20). "But it's also on all of us because in fact it's not just Ukrainian sovereignty that is being threatened. For those who try to argue that somehow this war is lasting too long, we need to do what we have done earlier on, and that's provide the support, the military support, the humanitarian support, and the economic support that Ukraine needs. We must send a strong message to the war criminal President Putin that we stand strong in the United with the people of Ukraine. And we will not tolerate his naked aggression to the people of Ukraine and to the people of freedom -loving countries throughout the world."
“I'm looking at my colleagues—435 of us in Congress, 100 in the Senate. Do we possess the same courage as the men and women behind us who have been on the front lines in Ukraine or as the families in the cities of Ukraine that facing incoming missiles every day? Apparently, we do not exhibit that courage here." said Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08). "For over a year, the Congress of the United States has failed to provide the necessary funding to support Ukraine in its fight for freedom and for our own future”
“It's been 397 days since we secured our last aid package for Ukraine. John Kennedy said that we would pay any price, bear any burden to defend freedom here and around the world. 397 days in which Ukrainian cities were leveled, 397 days in which Ukrainian children were abducted – some of whom I understand are here with us today, and 397 days [where] Ukrainian lives were sacrificed in defense of freedom and democracy – not just their freedom and democracy, our freedom and democracy. Because if Putin can take Ukraine, he and other dictators and autocrats can take any country,” said Congressman Steny Hoyer (MD-05). “For 397 days, Congress has failed to act. Most of us want to help Ukraine. In the past five months, supplemental aid for Ukraine came up for a vote on the House Floor seven times, on the House Floor. There are 435 Members, over 300 Members voted to help Ukraine every time it was on the Floor. We are not a silent majority. We recognize that democracy's very future is at stake. Rather, we are the silenced majority because that bill has not been put on the Floor by a speaker who introduced a bill three Congresses ago that said ‘one subject per bill.’ In this case that one subject ought to be $60 plus billion for Ukraine right now. I’ve asked the Speaker to put that bill on the Floor because it will pass.”
"We cannot abandon Ukraine now — to do so goes against our core values of democracy and freedom for all," said Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (PA-04). "Not only is supporting Ukraine is the right thing to do, but it ensures our own national security as well. I am grateful to Congresswoman Kaptur and my fellow members of the Ukraine Caucus for organizing such a strong show of support for this urgent issue."
“As the people of Ukraine continue to fight for freedom and their very survival, we must be steadfast in our support,” said Congressman Seth Magaziner (RI-02). “Make no mistake — standing with Ukraine is vital to protect our own national security, and I urge all of my colleagues to pass President Biden’s supplemental budget request. Let’s show the world that America stands with democracies and not dictators.”
"Ukrainian Week 2024 is a significant initiative, embodying a strategic partnership between Ukraine and America. Our shared goal is to reconnect with our US brothers and sisters within the democratic world,” said Pavlo Unguryan, lead organizer of Ukrainian Week in DC. “The challenges we face in this endeavor are formidable, but our commitment to Ukraine is unwavering. Together, we strive to navigate the complexities of this journey toward a future rooted in democratic values and shared principles.”
“I just want my story to be shared worldwide so they can know the pain that millions of children feel,” said Daiana Aripova. “We were separated from our parents, sent to the Russian army and forced to serve in a state in which we do not want to live. I hope that you all hear us and help.”
“Today, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian children are hostages in Russia and in the occupied territories in Ukraine. The destructive policy of Russia is a murderous policy that destroys their identity and arms these children and turns them against Ukraine and but also against the West, against the United States,” said Mykola Kuleba, Former Presidential Commissioner for Children’s Rights and CEO of Save Ukraine. “This is the same thing that happened during the Soviet times. That is why, by kidnapping children, the enemy wants to destroy Ukraine and Ukrainians as a nation.”
“This is a matter of survival for Ukrainians — all Ukrainians. Especially for civilians. I am a mother of five. I delivered my fifth child on the very first day of the war and had to be carried in a bunker. The fact that we are alive is a miracle,” said Ukrainian Chaplain Kateryna Semenyuk. “We know too many people who have died. These are our realities. If we have an opportunity to speak out, we will do it. We will use every single opportunity to talk about the evil that has invaded our country. They are absolutely destroying everything that is in their way. It's not a war, it's an act of terror that has lasted for almost two years now.”
Photos from the press conference can be found by clicking here.
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