Rep. Omar's Statement on Proposed Ukraine Defense Bill
WASHINGTON—Today, Rep. Ilhan Omar released the following statement in response to the proposed Ukraine defense bill.
"A Russian invasion of Ukraine would be catastrophic and must be avoided at all costs. A core progressive principle is opposing war, and it should go without saying that I strongly oppose the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. The United States and our allies should be doing everything we can to stop another disastrous war and pursue all possible diplomatic avenues to resolve this crisis peacefully.
"As someone who survived war, I know the devastating consequences of military conflict and the impact it has on millions of lives and entire societies. The bottom line is an invasion would have devastating consequences for both Ukrainian and Russian civilians, who will bear the brunt of this military escalation. We have already seen the devastating consequences of this conflict by the loss of 14,000 Ukrainian lives as a result of Russia's illegal occupation of Crimea and territories in Donbas, and displacement of millions of people who were forced to leave their homes because of the fighting. This conflict has already shattered families and created generational harm, which will only worsen with new military escalation. I am under no illusions about the horrors an invasion will unleash, or that it is Russia that is responsible for bringing us to the brink.
"The proposed legislative solution to this crisis, escalates the conflict without deterring it effectively. With a very soft trigger, it vaults Ukraine overnight into the third highest recipient of U.S. security assistance and weapons sales in the world. The consequences of flooding Ukraine with half a billion dollars in American weapons, likely not limited to just military-specific equipment but also including small arms and ammo, are unpredictable and likely disastrous. It also threatens unbelievably broad and draconian sanctions that will utterly devastate the Russian economy, likely doing very little to deter Putin's aggression while causing immense suffering among ordinary Russian civilians who did not choose this.
"For Senate Republicans, reportedly, even this is not enough. It is very likely that what will actually be in front of us for a vote will include some of these drastic and dangerous arms sales and sanctions implemented immediately, removing any possibility of deterrent and giving away crucial leverage our diplomats should be using to secure a peaceful resolution. Instead of spending $500 million on weapons, we should be centering civilian needs with refugee and humanitarian assistance.
"The foreign policy establishment has been drawing on the same tired playbook for generations, with very little success. We cannot continue to do the same thing and expect different results.
"When the United States says it champions human rights, democracy, and peace, we should mean it. I am committed to doing everything I can to support diplomacy and peace on behalf of my constituents, especially Ukrainian Americans and those with families in Ukraine, but I cannot in good conscience support a bill that places militarism and economic warfare over the urgent needs of both Ukrainian and Russian civilians. For those reasons, I plan to vote NO on the Ukraine defense package."
###