Quigley Statement on Trump-Putin Meeting

Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), Co-Chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus and a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, released the following statement on the meeting between President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin:

“Donald Trump gave Putin exactly what he wanted today. He was welcomed onto U.S. soil, his lies about the invasion were given free airtime, and he made demands that went uncontested because President Zelenskyy was excluded from the meeting. Trump rolled out the red carpet for Putin—literally—and he walked away with a green light to continue his conquest.

“Decisions about the future of Ukraine cannot be made without Ukrainian involvement. Any effort to end this war must include Ukrainians at every stage of negotiation. Ukrainian land is not Donald Trump’s or Vladimir Putin’s to give away.

“Putin understands only one thing: strength. The United States under President Trump is weak. Trump has never stated who he wants to win the war in Ukraine. He has backed Putin in the UN. He has demanded concessions from Ukraine. And he has allowed Putin to ignore six different deadlines without repercussions. 

“Our credibility as a nation is at stake. Our allies around the world are questioning America’s commitments to peace and democracy. This meeting between the leader of the free world and a ruthless dictator only shows the world that the values of democracy and freedom are negotiable.”