Congratulations to our Republican Senator Thom Tillis, who had the courage to stand up in the U.S. Senate and tell the truth about Vladimir Putin. Senator Tillis recently traveled to Ukraine and spoke with elected leaders, civilians, and soldiers. Sen. Tillis also visited Bucha and saw the mass graves of the innocent civilians who were massacred by Russian soldiers. Tillis said that in addition to attacking Ukraine, Putin is also engaging in a war of terror to break the spirit of the Ukrainian people. The Russian soldiers randomly murder, torture, and/or rape civilians.
At the beginning of the war, perhaps in a feeble attempt to justify his invasion, Putin called Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, who was elected in a free and fair election in a democratic country, a dictator. Putin, himself, of course, is one of the cruelest dictators in the world. Unfortunately, President Trump, following Putin’s example, has also repeatedly called Zelensky a dictator.
Trump has also stated that Ukraine started the war with Russia. In what universe does fighting valiantly to defend your country from an invading army mean that you “started a war?” Trump claims that Ukraine should have “made a deal” with Russia instead of fighting back. What deal can a country possibly make with an enemy already invading their country — except to offer to surrender?
Trump claims that Zelensky has a 4% approval rating in Ukraine. Actually, polls in Ukraine (Nov. 2024-Jan. 2025) show that 57% of Ukrainians trust Zelensky and 63% either “approve fully” or “tend to approve” of Zelensky’s actions as President.
Trump claims that the U.S. has given Ukraine $350 billion in aid. Actually, the U.S. has given Ukraine $174 billion in aid, but that figure also includes aid to refugees and money to restock the U.S. weapons stockpiles. This aid was approved by Congress with no requirement for repayment. Trump is demanding that Ukraine give the U.S. $350 billion of their natural resources, namely their future mineral rights, to repay us for giving them aid.
Trump says that in the peace deal that the U.S. will work out with Russia, Ukraine will not be allowed to join NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which was formed after World War II by 30 or so countries as a protection against the Soviet Union, now known just as Russia.
According to the terms of this treaty, if one of these countries is attacked, all the others will come to its defense. So, what is the reason to keep Ukraine from joining NATO? To keep Ukraine from getting the protection that NATO would offer and to leave them vulnerable to another attack by Russia.
Let us remember Sen. Tillis’s words: Putin is a liar, a murderer, and a war criminal — and he cannot be trusted. Why are the other Republican lawmakers not speaking out against him?
Rebecca Sexton, Franklin
