WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran – a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense – spoke on the Senate floor this week to reaffirm the importance of continued U.S. support for Ukraine and maintained pressure on Moscow in order to end Russia’s unjust war.
Sen. Moran’s remarks were delivered following President Trump’s call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and ahead President Trump’s meeting Friday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Shortly before Sen. Moran’s remarks, the U.S. Senate voted on the FY2026 Appropriations bill to fund the U.S. military. Despite receiving bipartisan support in the Senate Committee on Appropriations, the bill did not receive the necessary votes to advance, failing 50-44.
“Last week, we witnessed the long-awaited peace agreement between Israel and Hamas come to fruition,” said Sen. Moran. “Thanks to the efforts of President Trump and his administration, a ceasefire is holding. Iran has been dealt a crippling blow that has weakened its hold on the region, and Hamas has released all living hostages who had been held captive for more than two years.”“Through strength, the U.S. brokered a peace deal that serves the security of Israel and the humanitarian needs of Gazans alike,” continued Sen. Moran.
“Now, as the conflict in Ukraine has surpassed the three-year mark, Putin remains undeterred in his mission to carry out his unjust war on the Ukrainian people. Each day this war continues, lives are lost, and the safety, economic stability and global leadership of the United States are threatened. This war must end.”
“To bring an end to this war, the United States and our allies must maintain pressure on Moscow, as was just seen we maintained pressure on Hamas. One recent and important development in this effort is the potential transfer of U.S. Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. This weaponry will strengthen Ukraine’s ability to defend its territory, deter further Russian aggression and help level the battlefield as negotiations hopefully move forward. By providing advanced, precision-strike systems, America demonstrates that our commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty is backed not only by words, but by legitimate support that can alter the course of this war."
“Our adversaries, Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, are always looking for an opportunity to disrupt our alliances, weaken our resolve and disturb the free world,” concluded Sen. Moran. “It is imperative that the United States stands firm in its support for Ukraine and, in doing so, places significant pressure on Putin to show our adversaries that democracy will not go undefended.”
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Sen. Moran’s full remarks as delivered:“As President Trump today spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and tomorrow, he will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, I want to highlight how important it is, how critical it is, to securing a resolution to Russia’s unjust war in Ukraine.“I had intended to give remarks today on this topic, and I opened the Wall Street Journal this morning. And I was reading it, its top editorial on the editorial page deals with this topic, and I would recommend it to my colleagues. It expresses the views as I wish I could express them so clearly. I’m going to do so today right now.“Last week, we witnessed the long-awaited peace agreement between Israel and Hamas come to fruition. Thanks to the efforts of President Trump and his administration, a ceasefire is holding. Iran has been dealt a crippling blow that has weakened its hold on the region, and Hamas has released all living hostages who had been held captive for more than two years. While we recognize there are significant challenges that remain in the Middle East, this marks a critical step toward a just and lasting peace in the region.“This agreement would not have been possible without the strength of the United States military, our steadfast alliance with Israel and making it unequivocally clear to Hamas that the United States is willing and able to assist our ally in war. Through strength, the U.S. brokered a peace deal that serves the security of Israel and the humanitarian needs of Gazans alike.“Now, as the conflict in Ukraine has surpassed the three-year mark, Putin remains undeterred in his mission to carry out his unjust war on the Ukrainian people. Each day this war continues, lives are lost, and the safety, economic stability and global leadership of the United States are threatened. This war must end.“To bring an end to this war, the United States and our allies must maintain pressure on Moscow, as was just seen we maintained pressure on Hamas. One recent and important development in this effort is the potential transfer of U.S. Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. This weaponry will strengthen Ukraine’s ability to defend its territory, deter further Russian aggression and help level the battlefield as negotiations hopefully move forward. By providing advanced, precision-strike systems, America demonstrates that our commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty is backed not only by words, but by legitimate support that can alter the course of this war.“I commend the administration for its efforts to facilitate this transfer and for leading discussions between Ukraine and Russia that hopefully will secure a durable and just peace.“The United States cannot act alone. Our NATO allies must also shoulder the burden. President Trump recently secured an agreement with our NATO allies to increase defense spending from two percent to five percent by 2035. This commitment is critical to maintaining the continued defense of Europe. Russia’s economy is already under strain, but their capacity to fund conflict will continue without enforcement of steady and severe global sanctions.“Before Congress, there’s legislation that has widespread support of more than 80 senators from both sides of the aisle. This legislation would deliver a severe blow to Russia’s economy and trade. By cutting off the resources that allow Putin to fund this war, we can hasten the path to success in finding peace.“Last week, we advanced the National Defense Authorization Act, but today, we failed to advance the appropriations bill to fund our military. We always should recognize that the world is watching. They’re watching us. Our adversaries pay attention, and our allies pay attention. We have to every day make clear the case that it is true: the United States is a stable and friendly supporter of our allies and a full-fledged adversary to those who wish to cause us harm.“Our adversaries, Russia, China, North Korea and Iran, are always looking for an opportunity to disrupt our alliances, weaken our resolve and disturb the free world. It is imperative that the United States stands firm in its support for Ukraine and, in doing so, places significant pressure on Putin to show our adversaries that democracy will not go undefended.”