Durbin Reflects On Last Codel Trip To The Balkans

Durbin Reflects On Last Codel Trip To The Balkans

The Senator also called on Congress & President Trump to stand firm with Ukraine and against Russian threats to NATO and Europe

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor reflecting on his recent congressional delegation trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, and Kosovo in October with U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The trip was Durbin's final congressional delegation trip as a United States Senator. Durbin previously traveled to the Balkans in 1999 and 2009 and has visited 40 countries in the last 20 years.

"Many of the places I visited were not resort spots. They were countries struggling to become more democratic, overcome war, or lift their populations out of abject poverty. They were countries like Belarus, Haiti, Venezuela, Cuba, Ukraine, and the Democratic Republic of Congo... When it comes to travel, I just completed my final official trip as the Senator from Illinois, when I visited the Western Balkans, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, and Kosovo. It was [at least] my third time traveling to the Balkans as a member of Congress," said Durbin.

"Many here may have forgotten the horrific war that engulfed the region in the early 1990s after the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. Bosnia, in particular, suffered a devastating conflict with the siege of Sarajevo, ethnic cleansing, and massacres in places such as Srebrenica, which we visited. Few could have imagined the cosmopolitan city of Sarajevo, that had hosted the winter Olympics just 10 years before, could be turned into such a deadly war zone. During this horrific conflict, I supported President Clinton's decision to launch airstrikes to bring the war in Bosnia and later in Kosovo to a close. These airstrikes led to the Dayton Accords, which finally ended the war in Bosnia in 1995. And while several nations that emerged from the former Yugoslavia have prospered-joining the European Union and or NATO-others have struggled and still merit U.S. and European attention," Durbin continued.

During the trip, the Senators met with government officials, U.S. diplomatic personnel, civil society representatives, and young leaders to discuss regional security, democratic institutions, economic opportunity, and relations with the United States. Meetings addressed the European Union accession processes, NATO cooperation, energy diversification, troubling efforts at Srpska secession and related lobbying of the Trump Administration, and implementation of the Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act, enacted as part of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The delegation visited the Srebrenica Memorial Center and Cemetery at Potocari and attended a nearby performance by area youth at the House of Good Tones.

Durbin continued, "My visit reaffirmed my belief that we must continue to support efforts to draw these new nations into the EU and NATO and encourage the accompanying governance and economic reforms. It is our duty to continue to defend the larger peace, prosperity, and democracy that emerged from so much conflict in Europe-a peace that is now threatened again by none other than Vladimir Putin."

Durbin then provided an update on Ukraine and urged President Trump and Congress to provide our Ukrainian allies with the support they need.

"This leads me to the ongoing war in Ukraine, a war President Trump said he would end on his first day re-elected to the White House. Of course, that didn't happen. I don't begrudge President Trump's attempt to seek a diplomatic solution to this conflict, but it is long overdue that he realizes that you can't coddle Vladimir Putin and compel him to reach an accord. In fact, what is left of American dignity for Trump to give away in this regard? The President has rolled out the red carpet for Putin on American soil [and] he held endless phone calls that led to nowhere. Trump publicly scolded Ukraine for fighting for its life, and most recently, President Trump eased Russian oil sanctions and waived other sanctions overwhelmingly passed in the Congress," said Durbin.

Durbin said, "While President Trump belittles our ally and befriends our enemy, he is also trying to entice Putin with business deals as if this is some kind of real estate scheme… This effort is doomed to fail. Vladimir Putin is a former KGB official motivated not by money, but by warped historical grievances and perceived slights. He is the same Russian leader who provided targeting information to Iran to destroy American assets and kill American troops in the Middle East-the same leader empowering a nuclear armed North Korean regime that also threatens the United States. Attempts to pacify Putin are both fantasy and folly by an American president who seems forever enamored by this autocratic Russian leader, who is endlessly playing President Trump for a fool."

Durbin concluded his remarks by urging the incoming Congress and President Trump to help our Ukrainian allies.

Durbin concluded, "So, as I wind down my time in Congress, let me implore upon President Trump and this new Congress: don't give up on Ukraine. We must help it restock its air defenses, make sure bipartisan appropriated funds are delivered without any further delay, sanctions waivers are ended, and that the Ukrainians have what they need to force Putin to a real negotiating table… My recent visit to the Balkans-and my many trips to the Baltics-reminded me, we must remain steadfast [with our] NATO [allies]. That historic alliance has kept the world at peace for decades, so we can't walk away from it. Anything else threatens to undermine American and allied security for decades to come-a potentially devastating Trump legacy that no ballroom or arch will ever erase."

Video of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

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