John —

Nearly two years ago, Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in a heartbreaking, unprovoked attack on a democratic nation. He thought the war would be over quickly and that the free world would watch and do nothing. 

He was wrong.

The Ukrainian people came together to bravely hold the line against Putin, and America and our allies around the world stood strong alongside them. 

Together with the Ukrainians and their impressive President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, we sent a loud and clear message that we will stand united against authoritarians who threaten democracy anywhere in the globe.

Two years later, we are still fighting a battle for the soul of democracy in the world. 

That’s why I recently voted in support of a bipartisan bill to aid Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan in defending themselves.

Let me be clear: Authoritarian tyrants like Putin must be stopped, not appeased.

If history has taught us anything, it’s that we cannot simply walk away from the battle for freedom and democracy. Remember when Hitler swept through Europe, and the free world waited too long to stop him?

If we allow Putin to overtake a sovereign nation, do we really expect him to stop there? Or continue eastward in a bloody campaign against a NATO nation when America would be compelled to send our men and women into a fight?

We know Putin is out to remake the Soviet Union in his image — we know this because he has said so! Abandoning Ukraine’s fight for sovereignty would be one of the biggest mistakes our country could make. It’s something that would haunt us for generations.

That’s why I remain more committed than ever to working toward bipartisan efforts to confront authoritarianism and defend democracy. This war is costing America only arms and ammunition; it’s costing Ukrainians the lives of their loved ones.

Thank you for being a part of this fight. Together, we can continue the work of helping the Ukrainian people defend themselves and uphold democracy across the globe.

— Angus