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A number of US war hawks are traveling to Poland and Germany this weekend to meet with NATO allies and military officials over Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, marking the second trip that lawmakers have made to Poland in recent weeks.
“This strong, bipartisan delegation proves the Senate stands united in its support for Ukraine,” the 10 senators said in a joint statement on Friday.
“During our time in Poland and Germany, we will have the opportunity to gain greater insight on the U.S. and NATO response through engagements with top military leaders. We will return with better insight on how Congress can and should continue to support the Ukrainian people and our NATO allies, and see firsthand the heartbreaking humanitarian impact of Putin’s war of aggression.”
Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is leading the delegation that also includes Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Angus King (I-Maine), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas).
The trip comes one week after a separate bipartisan Senate delegation traveled to Poland to meet with Polish officials and visit refugee sites amid Russia’s offensive in Ukraine.
The lawmakers who participated in that trip included Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.)
Senator Portman said he does not understand why Ukraine should not receive MiG-29 fighter jets when it has already been supported in other ways by the US and its NATO allies.
He made the remarks after US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said last week the United States did not support Poland’s proposal to transfer the aging MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, arguing that such a measure can escalate tensions with Russia.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier urged the US to establish “no-fly zones” over Ukraine and requested additional MiG-29 jets for his own country following the Russian military operation there.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, however, warned that it would lead to catastrophic consequences. Putin ordered a “special military operation” in Ukraine’s Donbas region on February 24 to “defend people” subjected to “genocide” there against the government forces, stressing that Moscow has “no plans to occupy Ukrainian territory.”
Other US senators however are worried about the spiraling Russian conflict with Ukraine, fearing it could eventually lead to a direct confrontation between the United States and Russia.
