The United States Congress and the American public heard from President Zelensky. 

In his 16 minute speech, he offered a direct plea to us in Washington, D.C., from the war-torn capital, Kyiv.  Desperate yet resolute, he challenged the United States to do more to lead the world in peace.

How did your government respond? 

After having a front row seat to the gruesome reality of war in Ukraine, 435 Members and 100 Senators left the room and went about their daily lives. There was no meeting to discuss how the United States should respond.  There was no conversation, no debate, no next steps.  The threat of World War III is closer than it has been since 1944, and yet those who were elected to the “world’s greatest deliberative body” can’t find time in their schedules to deliberate.

Putin is committing war crimes.  Maternity wards have been bombed, journalists murdered and city mayors taken hostage. Yet, the United States Congress is not talking about how we can end the atrocities.  

The House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee should sit together with President Biden to evaluate President Zelensky’s plea and talk about what we must do next.  We need to determine what the red line is, and what the response will be if Putin crosses it.

We heard President Zelensky speak, now we need to act.