Fresh from a congressional trip to Ukraine, Republican Rep. Michael Turner said he feels optimistic about Ukraine’s chances against Russia. He stressed that the country can succeed if it receives strong support from the U.S. and its allies. Turner, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, led a bipartisan delegation to Ukraine, Poland, and Germany. Meanwhile, he urged Speaker Mike Johnson to quickly hold a vote on a long-stalled sanctions bill.

Sanctions Aimed at Cutting Russian Revenue

The proposed sanctions would impose steep tariffs on countries buying Russian oil, gas, and other exports. Accordingly, Turner said these measures would curb Russia’s revenue and reduce its ability to produce weapons. He explained, “Russia’s economy is allowing them to produce the weapons of war, and those weapons of war are resulting in the murderous battlefield in Ukraine. Therefore, the only way you’re going to be able to impact that is to turn the spigot off on the Russian economy — that’s going to impact their ability to wage war in Ukraine.”

Support Key to Ukraine’s Success

Turner agreed with President Trump that Ukraine can reclaim territory provided it receives the right support. He added, “With our appropriate support, including economic sanctions, I believe that Russia will not be successful.” Turner also praised Ukrainian resilience, ingenuity, and tenacity. “Having been in Ukraine, it is clear that Ukrainian ingenuity, their resilience, their tenacity is holding, and that Russia is not being successful,” he said.

Bipartisan Bill Faces Delays

The sanctions bill enjoys widespread bipartisan support but has stalled in Congress. If passed, it would impose tariffs of up to 500% on exports from countries such as China and India that purchase Russian energy. However, some leaders, including Hungary’s Viktor Orban, opposed the plan, warning it could harm their economies.

Russia’s Ambitions Extend Beyond Ukraine

Turner warned that Russia’s goals go beyond Ukraine. In a letter to Speaker Johnson, he wrote, “Putin’s ambitions extend well beyond Ukraine’s borders, and his regime has shown it will stop at nothing to erode freedom, democracy, and the rule of law across Europe. Thus, there is no time to waste.” He highlighted Russian drone incursions into Polish and Romanian airspace as deliberate provocations against NATO.

Congress Must Act Swiftly

Finally, Turner urged Congress to act without delay. “Congress must act decisively to confront Russian aggression, deny Putin any further opportunity to destabilize our allies, and provide the President with the tools he needs to end this war,” he said.