[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 36 (Monday, February 24, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1306-S1307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                             Vladimir Putin

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, 3 years ago, Vladimir Putin brought war 
and destruction to the free people of Ukraine. Three years ago, a 
powerful, hungry autocrat broke the peace in Europe, violated the 
sovereignty of an independent democracy, and rolled tanks and weapons 
and troops across the Ukrainian borders without provocation or 
justification.
  Vladimir Putin has sealed his place in history as an enemy to 
democracy, to freedom, and to peace. He has killed tens of thousands of 
innocent civilians. His rockets have destroyed homes and churches and 
schools and hospitals--deliberately, in many cases.
  A year ago, I was there. I saw the destruction. I saw parking lots 
being turned into mass graves. I spoke with soldiers near the border 
trying to defend their homes. And I felt the deep resolve of the 
Ukrainian people. I felt the value of America's leadership and the 
international struggle to push back against Putin's evil aggression.
  Today, we remember Bucha, we remember the atrocities in Mariupol, and 
we remember everywhere where Putin's horrors have touched. We honor the 
lives lost at the hands of Russia's war of aggression, and we will not 
let Vladimir Putin and his thugs off the hook.
  For 3 years, the United States has been clear on where we stand. We 
have stood on the side of democracy, the inviability of borders, and 
the freedom of nations--and against Vladimir Putin.
  We passed in this Chamber robust, bipartisan security assistance. The 
United States united the leaders of the West, and for years we 
succeeded in turning Putin into a pariah.
  But today, on this third anniversary of Putin's war, Donald Trump is 
turning his back on the values that America stands for of democracy, of 
security, and of liberty. Instead of standing up to Putin, Donald Trump 
is siding with him and against our own allies. Instead of condemning 
Putin's lies, Donald Trump is parroting Russian misinformation and 
propaganda, in defiance of all evidence, without regard to any facts, 
and with utter contempt for the truth.
  Today, President Trump met with President Macron. President Macron is 
advising Donald Trump not to show weakness--not to show weakness--to 
Putin at this pivotal moment. Donald Trump should heed President 
Macron's warning, or else Putin is going to eat his lunch, and America 
is going to suffer in the long term.
  American support of a pro-Western democracy under attack is not 
charity. It is about our own long-term security. For Donald Trump to 
show weakness to Putin is to endanger America's security tomorrow.
  If history tells us one thing about autocrats, it is that their 
hunger is never satiated. It is never enough. They will keep going one 
way or another until they are halted.
  What are Poland and Latvia and Lithuania and Estonia supposed to 
think about Putin's belligerence next door to them? What is NATO 
supposed to make of Donald Trump's eagerness to deal with autocrats 
instead of our own allies?
  If Donald Trump sells out democracy in Europe today, what will Donald 
Trump sell out tomorrow? Democracy in America? Our national security, 
which he is already starting to do?
  The way Donald Trump is engaging with Vladimir Putin right now is not 
going to make America any safer in the long run. This all goes back to 
a pattern we have seen from Donald Trump from the very beginning. He 
has always admired autocrats, strongmen, and bullies; always shown 
contempt for the rule of law, for truth, for accountability, for 
facts--because his ultimate goal is to skew things in favor of the 
wealthy and corrupt few at the expense of everybody else.
  Just like his push for taxes, just like his empowering DOGE, Donald 
Trump's modus operandi is to trample on safeguards and basic 
accountability--values central to any free democracy--in order to allow 
corrupt billionaires, the wealthy few, and cronies to fill in the void.

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  This is exactly the world Vladimir Putin wants, and little by little, 
Donald Trump is helping him make it happen.