U.S. senator from Kansas urges U.S. to resist acceding to Putin in Russia-Ukraine negotiations

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Kansas Republican and critic of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, says negotiations to end the war shouldn't reward Russia's aggression and undermine Ukraine's ability to defend itself in the future. (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)

TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas joined fellow Republicans warning against negotiating an end to the Russia-Ukraine war that rewarded Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggression and left Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy without effective security guarantees.

Moran, the Kansas congressional delegation’s most persistent critic of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, argued that endorsement by President Donald Trump of a deal giving into Putin’s demands would make the world more dangerous. Russia launched this invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

“Lasting peace will be achieved when the costs of continuing the war in Ukraine are unsustainable for Russia, not by acceding to Vladimir Putin’s demands,” Moran said.

Trump expressed support for a 28-point plan introduced by White House envoy Steve Witkoff after meetings with Russian officials. Some U.S. lawmakers criticized the proposal’s concessions to Russia, including ceding of Ukrainian territory. The plan also was denounced because it included a guarantee Ukraine couldn’t join NATO and failed to acknowledge other Ukrainian security interests.

“As negotiations move forward,” Moran said, “the administration must make certain Ukraine is equipped with the tools needed to defend its people and territory against ongoing aggression and demand meaningful, enduring security guarantees for Kyiv.”

In October, Moran said the United States should deliver long-range missiles to Ukraine because the armaments would “help level the battlefield as negotiations hopefully move forward.” Trump chose not to authorize shipment of cruise missiles to Ukraine.

Moran argued in July for sustained support and weapon shipments for Ukraine, because to do otherwise would send a message of weakness to the world.

“If we allow a dictator to redraw borders by force, then what message does that send to other authoritarian regimes watching closely around the globe, including China?” Moran said.