Liberty Versus Dictatorship

Floor Speech

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Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, for 1,176 days, people of Ukraine have lived under constant threat of attack and attack. As the war has dragged on for over 3 years, Ukrainians have refused to submit to Putin's violence. At every turn, they have shown the world what it means to be fighting on the front lines for democracy. At every turn, the Ukrainian people have been willing to do what is necessary for protection and for peace.

When their sovereignty was threatened by Putin, they defended their country courageously. When the opportunity for diplomatic negotiations arose, they were willing to come to the table. In exchange for their bravery and sacrifice, all they have asked for is respect for their independence, their autonomy, and their democracy.

Peace between Ukraine and Russia must not come at Ukraine's expense. We want peace. Ukrainians desperately want peace, but it cannot be a Russian victory. In order to have a just and lasting peace, we must return Ukraine to its 1991 borders. Ukraine must also have serious security assurances from the U.S. and NATO so that Putin is deterred from ever threatening the country again.

Russia must alone help fund this great construction after targeting civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities, hospitals, and schools. We must also hold Putin accountable for his army's war crimes, like those in Bucha, which I witnessed, and for the kidnapping of thousands of Ukrainian children.

As the Trump administration continues to push for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, we must all keep in mind exactly who we are dealing with. Putin has refused to negotiate in good faith, reportedly violating the very same cease-fire he unilaterally declared last week. So far, he has refused to even direct negotiations with President Zelenskyy in Turkiye.

This is the same man who has welcomed China's, Iran's, and North Korea's support for his war effort. He has shown contempt for all international democratic norms, both in his own country and in dealing with others.

This is why the only way to deal with Putin is by sending a clear message--a message of strength and of unity. As the United States has for the better part of a century, we must continue to stand up to tyrants and defend freedom. We have learned that isolationism and appeasing autocrats is a losing strategy. As President Trump and his administration continue to push for negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, I encourage them to remember history. Remember the reasons we fought the Second World War and the reasons we founded NATO.

Now is not the time to abandon our values or our position as a leader of the free world. Now is the time to pressure Putin to end this brutal war for good. The future of the Ukrainian people, the future of Europe, and the future of democracy are dependent on how we meet this moment. This is a moral, tactical, and strategic imperative.

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