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I hope you saw my latest weekly column.
ROGER WICKER: Ukraine prepares for part two of Putin’s war
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Vladimir Putin thought he could seize the capital of Ukraine in three days.
Yet after two months of bloody fighting, Ukrainian troops have staved off
defeat. Russia has lost over 15,000 troops and is now regrouping for a major
offensive in eastern Ukraine. In their wake, they have left a devastating trail
of murder, torture, and shattered lives. Evidence of war crimes against
civilians has shocked the world, and cities like Mariupol, once vibrant, are
now leveled, with men, women, and children buried under rubble. Putin’s
atrocities are among the worst since World War II.
Ukrainian troops have fought heroically. Despite being outnumbered and
outgunned, they have destroyed roughly 1,000 Russian tanks, 4,000 ground
vehicles, and more than 300 manned aircraft according to Ukrainian reports.
Russia has lost potentially a quarter of its initial invasion force, its elite
paratroopers have been mostly wiped out, and the pride of its navy fleet, the
Moskva, is no more, having been sunk by Ukrainian missiles. In addition, Putin
has lost nine generals and has placed his war effort under new command. Yet the
Russians still hold the advantage in numbers and artillery, making the outcome
of this war uncertain.
In his recent Easter address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy showed
the strength of heart that has sustained his people throughout the war. He
vowed that no “wickedness” would ever destroy Ukraine, and offered a prayer for
endurance: “Let us not lose our longing for freedom. Let us not lose our zeal
for a righteous fight.” Such resolve has rallied the entire free world to
Ukraine’s cause.
U.S. Prepares More Aid for Ukraine
With the war entering a second phase, members of Congress are preparing a new
military aid package for Ukraine. Congress had already approved $6.5 billion in
defense aid in March, which will soon run out. President Biden is now seeking a
$33 billion aid package. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I
am working to ensure this bill provides much-needed helicopters and drones, as
well as the anti-tank and anti-air missiles that have been so decisive in
repelling the Russians.
Despite these funding efforts, it is still taking too long to get weapons into
Ukrainian hands. As I had requested, President Biden recently appointed Terry
Wolff, a retired general, to coordinate the delivery of aid, which should help
speed up the process. Even so, the Administration has resisted Ukraine’s
request for certain assets like MiG fighter jets. President Zelenskyy recently
met with Biden officials and renewed his request for these jets, as well as
tanks, armored vehicles, artillery, and missiles.
Putin Must Lose This War
President Reagan once called the Soviet Union “the focus of evil in the modern
world.” After two months of unprovoked brutality, it is obvious that the
Kremlin remains one of the chief forces for evil in our world. For all his
recent failures, President Biden did the right thing in calling Putin’s war
what it is: an attempt at “genocide” and an effort to “wipe out the idea of
being Ukrainian.” Yet with this moral clarity comes a solemn obligation to help
the Ukrainian people achieve victory.
Russia is now preparing more bloodshed and a long-term occupation in eastern
Ukraine. We need to give Ukraine the tools they need to defeat Russia even if
it takes months or years. Like West Germany during the Cold War, Ukraine has
become the front line in the contest between freedom and despotism. They will
need our help for the long haul.
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Thank you for your support,
Senator Roger Wicker
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