WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) yesterday asked Mr. James O’Brien, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs for the U.S. Department of State, a series of questions during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing entitled “U.S. National Security Interest in Ukraine.”
“Isn’t it true that our support of Ukraine avoids the need to risk American lives in a larger potential European war by denying Russia the opportunity to send forces into potentially NATO allies,” asked Sen. Menendez.
The Senator asked for confirmation that the economic impact of a Ukrainian defeat would be far more expensive to the U.S. than remaining committed to Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression. The Senator also asked for confirmation that providing support to Ukraine is creating American jobs by spending funds on the modernization of our military, replacing comparatively older weapons that are not essential to U.S. readiness that we provide to Ukraine.
Sen. Menendez also asked Secretary O’Brien to confirm that this conflict has catalyzed the U.S. defense industrial base enabling it to set up production lines necessary to the support the United States and other partners, for example Taiwan, down the road if necessary.
“Now, isn’t it also true that Xi Jinping in China is watching what is going on in Ukraine and how we, the United States, and the Western world is responding to that conflict?” inquired Sen. Menendez. “And I would think that not only is he watching, but he is calculating. He is calculating as to ‘Can my military do what I think they can do?’ and I saw the much-vaunted Russian military against, at that time, an inferior fighting force by size and capacity be able to stand up to Russian. He’s got to be saying that to himself as it relates to any desires on Taiwan, and as it relates to whether the international community is going to respond as they have responded on Ukraine, by sanctions and other efforts.”
Sen. Menendez questioned Secretary O’Brien about whether the supplemental dollars, much of which will be spent in the United States creating jobs here at home, used to support an ally abroad is a positive economic opportunity for the United States. The Senator also asked whether the impact of a Russian victory on the European economy and U.S.-European trade would be negative for the country. Sen. Menendez concluded his questioning by asking what the consequences would be if the U.S. walked away from Ukraine.
In October, Sen. Menendez met with 25 members of the New Jersey delegation of the American Coalition for Ukraine to highlight the Senator’s advocacy on behalf of the country and Ukrainian-American citizens. The Senator has reaffirmed his unshakeable commitment to ensure Ukraine receives the resources it needs, and remains committed to calling out Russian aggressions and holding Putin accountable for his actions against the people of Ukraine.
In July, Sen. Menendez introduced the Responding to the Energy Security Crisis in Ukraine and Europe (RESCUE) Act of 2023, which addresses Ukraine’s fuel needs while helping it reconstruct and modernize its energy infrastructure. In January 2022, Sen. Menendez led 38 of his Senate Democratic colleagues in introducing the Defending Ukraine Sovereignty Act, critical legislation to authorize security assistance for Ukraine and required sanctions against Russia.
