Rep. Panetta Travels to Kyiv to Meet with Defense Leaders and Demonstrate Support of Ukraine and our NATO Allies
Monterey, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) recently traveled to Ukraine, becoming one of only a handful of Members of Congress to visit the country this year. During his visit, Rep. Panetta participated in high-level discussions with Ukrainian defense leaders, anti-corruption officials, and NATO allies to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to Ukraine’s defense, democracy, and sovereignty.
Rep. Panetta joined defense ministers, senior military commanders, European leaders, and civil society representatives at the Yalta European Strategy (YES) conference, where panels focused on Ukraine’s defense needs, anti-corruption reforms, long-term security guarantees, and strategies to end Russia’s ongoing war of aggression. Rep. Panetta was asked to be a part of a panel with several European defense ministers to discuss potential security guarantees for Ukraine and NATO allies. He also met directly with Ukrainian military members who have served on the frontlines, wounded Ukrainian veterans, and Ukrainian officials to hear firsthand about battlefield realities and potential solutions to the conflict. Rep. Panetta also visited the sites of recent Russian missile attacks in Kyiv, including an apartment building struck by several missiles that resulted in the deaths of 23 civilians, including six children under five years old. In order to participate in the conference, Rep. Panetta flew to Warsaw, Poland, and then drove over 10 hours by car to Kyiv.
“With the many mixed messages coming out of this Administration, I felt it was important to show up in Kiev and send a strong signal that there are Members of Congress who believe that the United States must continue its unwavering support for Ukraine and our NATO allies,” said Rep. Panetta. “Although I hold out hope for an end to the war, rolling out the red carpet for Russian President Putin is not the way to bring about peace and stop his unjust invasion. As Putin continues to string along President Trump, he also continues to attack Ukraine with missiles and drones and commit incursions into NATO airspace. The purpose of my trip was not only to participate in the conference, but also to reassure our democratic partners that there are still loud voices in our government that support Ukraine in its defense of its democracy and firmly believe in the United States' commitment to NATO.”
Rep. Panetta, a veteran of the Afghanistan War, has consistently worked to safeguard America’s alliances. Earlier this year, he introduced the bipartisan NATO Edge Act with Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) to reaffirm the United States’ ironclad commitment to NATO and prevent any administration from unilaterally withdrawing from the alliance. In addition, Rep. Panetta recently led a bipartisan letter urging the Department of Defense to permit Ukraine to use U.S.-provided long-range missile systems against legitimate military targets in Russia, underscoring his call for a principled strategy that strengthens Ukraine’s leverage on the battlefield and at the negotiating table. Rep. Panetta supports a discharge petition in Congress led by Rep. Gregory Meeks, the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, for H.R. 2913, the Ukraine Support Act. The bill would impose strong sanctions and address significant issues in the Senate’s sanctions legislation, while also including support for Ukraine assistance and reconstruction.
