During the congressional delegation’s meeting with Ukraine’s president and ministers (from left) are: U.S. Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt, Rep. Steve Womack, Rep. Steve Israel, Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk, Rep. Kay Granger, President Petro Poroshenko, Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, Rep. John Carter, Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Rep. Pete Visclosky, Rep. Ken Calvert, Minister of Finance Natalie Jaresko and Foreign Affairs Minister Pavlo Klimkin.
KYIV – House of Representatives Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) led a bipartisan congressional delegation to Ukraine that met on March 11 with President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine.
Delegation members were: Subcommittee Vice-Chair Kay Granger (R-Texas), Subcommittee Ranking Democratic Member Pete Visclosky (D-Ind.), John Carter (R-Texas), Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio), Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.) and Rep. Steve Israel, (D-N.Y.).
The delegation met with President Petro Poroshenko and members of his Cabinet. Discussions centered on the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine. The delegation discussed further U.S. military and economic support for Ukraine as it fights Russian-backed separatists and Russian soldiers in eastern Ukraine.
President Poroshenko told the members of Congress that the Ukrainian nation is paying a high price for freedom and independence, and that Ukrainian warriors are demonstrating heroism and courage while defending peace in Europe. “Every Ukrainian understands that we are struggling for freedom and democracy of the entire European continent and, probably, the entire world,” he said.
Rep. Frelinghuysen later noted in a message to constituents: “The people and the government of Ukraine deserve praise for their courageous defense of their independence and sovereignty in the face of brutal attacks by Russian-armed separatists and Russian soldiers. This violence continues even after the Minsk ‘ceasefire’ went into effect. In anticipation of further Russian efforts to destabilize Ukraine and seize additional territory, I believe the United States should approve additional measures to help Ukraine defend its sovereign territory, including the transfer of lethal, defensive weapons systems to the Ukrainian military.”
Rep. Israel, in a story published on March 17 in the Daily News, said he is altering his stand and taking issue with the Obama administration not giving Kyiv lethal defensive weapons. “It’s a very dangerous situation, and I fear if we don’t act quickly and smartly, [Vladimir] Putin is going to invade the whole country. He’ll control it and move on to other countries. … I believe if we don’t act, don’t provide Ukraine with defensive technologies quick, that Ukraine will be completely controlled by the Russians very quickly.”
The delegation’s journey, which was held in preparation for the Fiscal Year 2016 defense appropriations bill, also took the group to Egypt, Cyprus and the United Kingdom.