Congressman Cohen Calls for Allowing Ukrainian Use of NATO-Supplied Weapons in Russia

WASHINGTON - Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), the House Ranking Member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today called for allowing NATO-supplied weapons to be used by Ukraine within Russia during a commission hearing on "Russia's Shadow War on NATO."

In his opening remarks, Congressman Cohen said that, now more than ever, Vladimir Putin "wants to weaken and destabilize the West," including through the use of disinformation campaigns aimed at interfering in our elections to help Donald Trump.

Congressman Cohen also noted that Ukraine is asking to use offensive weapons inside Russia, adding: "and I support their request."

He continued: "I think they need to go forward with offensive weapons and strike into Russia and bring the war home to the Russian people. This is ludicrous - to allow Russia to attack and kill Ukrainians, destroy cultural objects, destroy cities with reckless disregard for life. Hit schools, hit hospitals and senior facilities - and Ukraine is not supposed to go into Russia? That's crazy. I mean both your arms are tied behind your back and tied behind it, unfortunately, by my government, our government, which is supporting Ukraine -- and we've done a lot -- but we've been slow in doing it…This war would have been much closer to ending - on Ukraine's terms, but ending - if we'd have given them those weapons earlier."

See his entire opening statement here.

See his questions to the witnesses here.

Witnesses at today's hearing were:

• Mr. Erkki Tori, National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Estonia;
• Dr. Benjamin L. Schmitt, Senior Fellow, Department of Physics and Astronomy and Kleinman Center for Energy Policy, University of Pennsylvania; and
• Mr. Michael Weiss, Investigative Journalist and Author

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