Ukraine

Floor Speech

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Mr. WICKER. Madam President, I come to the floor today once again to make a simple point, and that is that the Russian dictator Vladimir Putin has once again shown the world that he has no interest in peace.

In Saudi Arabia, representatives of the United States and representatives of Ukraine are continuing to work in good faith toward a just end to the war in Ukraine.

In the coming weeks, a Ukrainian delegation will travel to Washington, DC, for the same purpose. They will discuss with our leaders the future economic partnership between our nations, Ukraine and the United States. Both of our nations want to see an end to the war.

Meanwhile, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin continues to show no real commitment to that goal.

Today, the residents of President Zelenskyy's own hometown, a little village by the name of Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, began a 3-day period of mourning. They are grieving yet another deadly, barbaric attack by Vladimir Putin.

On Friday, President Putin launched drones and Iranian-made ballistic missiles into a residential section of that small city. These drones and missiles injured at least 68 people and killed at least 20 people. Among the dead were nine children. They were all noncombatants, ordinary civilians, living an ordinary day, visiting friends, stopping in shops, dining at restaurants, and playing at a children's playground.

The attack on a civilian neighborhood is just the latest sign that Putin has no regard for life, but he underscored that fact by raining cluster munitions onto a children's playground. The brightly colored swing sets and jungle gyms, sites of play and joy, are scenes of devastation. The sandbox and merry-go-round are a testament to the Russian brutality.

One of the slain children was a 3-year-old boy named Tymofii. He and his grandmother were walking home from the playground when the bombs fell. One moment he had been playing, as children should; the next, he was gone, killed by a Russian attack on a civilian residential neighborhood.

The killing, like the entire unprovoked war, is an outrage, and it demands a response. And I want to quote someone who has not been quoted on the Senate floor recently about this topic, and that is former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. He put it well this weekend. The former Speaker said:

Putin attacking Zelenskii's hometown and killing women and children is a deliberate insult to the United States and test of how much dishonesty[,] Brutality, and aggressiveness we will tolerate. He must be made [to] Pay for it.

And, yes, it is a test of how much we are willing to tolerate, particularly in light of the discussions that were going on. The former Speaker is correct. Mr. Putin launched this attack on women and children in the middle of cease-fire negotiations. These aren't the acts of a leader who is interested in peace. The attack is an insult and a test, but it is also a test the United States must pass. We must not tolerate Vladimir Putin's dishonesty, brutality, and aggression.

I believe the President of the United States, President Trump, shares the former Speaker's views. Early last week, President Trump signaled that he was displeased with Putin's refusal to make a deal, as well he should have been.

At last week's NATO summit, Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the point. He said: President Trump will not allow the Russian dictator to drag us on in endless negotiation. He said:

We will know soon enough, in a matter of weeks, not months, whether Russia is serious about peace or not.

I agree with President Trump on his assessment. I agree with Secretary of State Rubio on his statement.

But as it turns out, it wasn't in a matter of weeks or months. Putin showed us in a matter of days. Putin launched his attack the day after Secretary Rubio's words.

The message was clear. He is not interested in peace. He would like a phony deal that buys Russia time to rearm.

We must not allow Russia to waffle forever in negotiations. Vladimir Putin would prefer to. Maybe he thinks he can wait out the war forever. But let me tell you, Russia's economy and its industry show signs of cracking. A lot of the American people do not realize this, but the economy of Russia is crumbling. We must show resolve in the face of President Putin's growing weakness. We must not let him up off the mat, allowing him to shore up strength for another assault.

President Trump and President Zelenskyy will work toward a deal that will be good for the entire free world--good for Ukraine and good for the United States, but for the entire free world. As they negotiate, we must all keep in mind exactly who their third negotiating partner is. And I say, as I said on the floor a few days ago: If Vladimir Putin keeps a promise that he makes to the United States in this regard, it will be the first time he has ever kept his word on any treaty, on any cease-fire. That is who we are dealing with. We have to deal with him, but that is who he is.

Vladimir Putin has shown us again who we are dealing with: a man willing to murder children in an attempt to pressure President Zelenskyy and President Trump.

I stand with President Trump and President Zelenskyy in facing down this murderous dictator.

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