Scenes at US Capitol on war’s anniversary reflect partisan divide on Ukraine

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 100 House members at one point packed the steps of the U.S. Capitol to show their support for Ukraine following Russia’s invasion three years ago, Republicans joining with Democrats in a forceful display of bipartisanship.

But that display was harder to find Monday on the third anniversary of the invasion. A press conference held by members of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus featured one Republican out of about 18 lawmakers in attendance. Democrats also had a distinct edge when it came to the number of lawmakers who went to the House and Senate floor to commemorate the anniversary.

The split-screen was just the latest indication of how much support for Ukraine has eroded in the nation’s capital as President Donald Trump charts a vastly different course for American policy. Trump is seeking to reestablish ties with Russia while disparaging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and pressuring Ukraine to give the United States access to its mineral resources to recoup military aid it has provided during the war.

While a group of congressional Republicans still voice support for Ukraine, they have given little indication they will defy Trump’s new direction on European foreign policy, instead holding out hope that Trump will come around to supporting Kyiv.

Rep. Marcy Kaptur, an Ohio Democrat who helped organize the press conference Monday, said of Republicans that “quietly, they are supportive, but publicly, no.”

The Ukraine Caucus rallies support

About 20 Republicans are part of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus out of about 90 members total. Invitations to caucus members were issued Thursday, but the event was also held during a fly-in day, when most members don’t come back into Washington until evening votes. Some Republicans also said they were unaware of the event.

Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina, the lone Republican who did speak at the press conference, said he was lucky to get there in time because of flight issues. He disputed that resolve regarding Ukraine has dropped with his GOP colleagues.

“I still see strong support everywhere I go among my colleagues,” Wilson said. “I’m confident that it’s understood how important it is we stand with democracies in the world, whether it be Israel, or Ukraine, or Taiwan. To me, they’re totally interconnected.”

Wilson said that when he traveled to Europe last week for the Munich Security Conference, there was still bipartisan agreement among U.S. lawmakers on supporting Ukraine. As for the American president, his outlook is “look at what Donald Trump does, not how he gets there.”

Democrats used the anniversary press conference to harshly criticize Trump. Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md, said Trump continued to “do Russia’s job for it by bringing Vladimir Putin out of isolation, by cutting Ukraine out of negotiations and by parroting Russian propaganda, including the blatant lie, the incredible lie, the unbelievable lie that Ukraine started this war three years ago.”

Fallout from the United Nations vote

Monday’s anniversary also came as the U.S. refused to blame Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in votes on three United Nations resolutions seeking an end to the war. Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., chided Republicans on the House floor.

“Aren’t you embarrassed by what you have become?” Balint said. “It is revolting to watch my colleagues side with Russia because Trump said so.”

On the other side of the Capitol, Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa opened the Senate with a speech in support of Ukraine and a warning. He said Russia is a country that has institutionalized corruption and a place where citizens can be imprisoned for mild criticism of the government.

“Conservatives imagine that Russia doesn’t exist today as I just described, so they are willing to sit down with people who have no political liberties, no political opposition. And it seems to me this is something that this senator would not do,” Grassley said.

Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, also subtly pushed back on Trump’s direction on Ukraine when speaking to reporters outside the Senate chamber, saying that Putin “is a murderer and he’s invaded Ukraine.”

“At some point, you’ve got to make sure that you are a broker for peace and democracy, and I don’t see Putin playing any role in a democratic, Western world,” Tillis added.

Republicans giving Trump ‘space’ to negotiate

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine, walked a careful line Tuesday when asked about Trump’s actions toward Ukraine, suggesting the negotiations underway need to play out.

“What I’m in support of is a peaceful outcome and result in Ukraine, and I think right now the administration, the president and his team are working to achieve that. And I think right now, you’ve got to give them some space, honestly,” Thune said.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, meanwhile, took to the Senate floor to criticize Trump’s position. He said the U.S. for three years has been clear about where it stands on the war. It has provided robust security assistance to Ukraine and has turned Putin into a pariah in the West.

“But today, on this third anniversary of Putin’s war, Donald Trump is turning his back on the values that America stands for — of democracy, of security, and of liberty,” Schumer said. “Instead of standing up to Putin, Donald Trump is siding with him and against our own allies.”

Earlier in the day, Trump in a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron spoke of visiting Russia at some point and of forging economic ties. He was critical of former President Joe Biden for not communicating with Putin and spoke optimistically of ending the fighting. He also declined to explain the U.S. votes at the United Nations earlier in the day.

“I think we could end it within weeks if we’re smart. If we’re not smart, it’ll keep going and we’ll keep losing young, beautiful people that shouldn’t be dying and we don’t want that,” Trump said. “And remember what I said, this could escalate into a third world war and we don’t want that either.”

While Democrats dominated the floor time spent on Ukraine, it was a more bipartisan effort when it came to legislation.

Eight Republican senators signed onto a measure from Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire that among other things reaffirmed U.S. support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. The non-binding resolution also emphasized that Ukraine must be a participant in discussions with Russia about Ukraine’s future.

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