Senator urges Congress to keep backing Ukraine’s air defenses

Senator Richard Durbin addressed the incoming U.S. Congress on November 10, urging sustained support for Ukraine and immediate restocking of its air defenses as Russian attacks persist. With his Senate term nearing its conclusion, he warned against abandoning Ukraine and pushed for bipartisan funding to replace delayed appropriations.

Durbin criticized Donald Trump’s stance toward Russia, arguing that his administration had extended an implicit welcome to Vladimir Putin while weakening Ukraine’s defenses. The senator highlighted Trump’s public calls with Putin as ineffective, noting the former president had pressured Kyiv to cease its resistance. “Trump publicly scolded Ukraine for fighting for its life and its existence,” Durbin said. He added that Trump’s attempts to sway Putin with money are an effort that is “doomed to fail” and belittles U.S. allies while empowering Russia to help Iran and North Korea.

Durbin described Putin as a leader motivated by historical grievances rather than economic considerations. He referenced Putin’s past provision of targeting data to Iran for strikes on U.S. forces, framing the Russian leader as a direct threat to American security interests.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier clarified on November 3 that he would only engage Putin in direct negotiations for peace, dismissing phone conversations as unproductive. Durbin aligned with this view, dismissing negotiation efforts with Putin as “fantasy and folly.” He argued that Trump’s admiration for authoritarian regimes had left him susceptible to manipulation.

On November 7, Senator Richard Blumenthal announced plans to introduce legislation aimed at bolstering Ukrainian support. Blumenthal also advocated for fresh U.S. negotiators in peace talks and stricter controls over Starlink and Starshield satellite services to curb potential misuse. Durbin, set to retire in January 2027, stated, “We need to pick sides in the Ukrainian war, and there’s only one side that is consistent with America’s values, and that’s the side of the Ukrainian people.”