March 10, 2025
Just left Ukraine. What I saw proved to me we can’t give up on the Ukrainian people. Everyone wants this war to end, but any agreement has to protect Ukraine’s security and can’t be a giveaway to Putin. Let me tell you about my trip and why it’s important we stand with Ukraine.
This war started with what Putin thought would be a three-day operation to take Kyiv and control of all of Ukraine. Now three years later, that hasn’t happened. American and allied support has been a big reason why, but I saw how cutting it off now risks everything so many Ukrainians have laid down their lives for. And while our support hasn’t been free, we haven’t sent even half of what President Trump says.
Hospitals should never be targets in war, but Putin is a war criminal who targets hospitals routinely. I visited one in Kyiv. Injured soldiers told me how they want to get back to the fight. Nurses there shared their stories of the invasion with me through tears. Stories of violence that women and children of Ukraine suffered during the invasion. These nurses told me how they witnessed Russian soldiers raping children in front of their parents and then murdering these children in front of their parents. Horrendous war crimes which can never be forgiven. Donald Trump says he trusts Putin and is trying to make him look like a friend and a good guy. I look forward to seeing Putin rot in prison.
The pause of military aid has only made it harder for Ukraine in their fight against Russia. They are running low on certain weapons which have made it most of the way to Ukraine. Stopping the transfer of these weapons only helps the Russians. The Russians will become more confident and try to drive a harder bargain in ceasefire talks. This isn’t rocket science. We should be negotiating from a position of strength.
Donald Trump is trying to weaken Ukraine’s hand and we are owed an explanation. If Putin gains ground he won’t agree to a ceasefire and will eventually threaten a NATO ally and this puts American troops and the American people at risk.
I met with Ukrainian pilots, one who I had met in Arizona when he was learning to fly the F-16. They are flying challenging combat missions against the Russians who are protected by a considerable electronic warfare and surface to air missile system defense. They’ve learned a lot and they are getting better and having more success. When Trump cut off these pilots from US intelligence that they need to plan their missions, he blinded them to the threat and put them and their aircraft at risk. But worse than that, it helps the Russians advance further into Ukrainian territory and murder more Ukrainians. President Trump says the Russians are “hitting them hard” in a tone of voice that implies approval. It is sickening to see from an American President. “Hitting them hard” means more dead Ukrainian kids.
Ukraine did not start this war, and they did not ask for the constant missile and drone attacks that have terrorized the population. Government officials who can’t acknowledge factual information should reevaluate their career choices.
I saw the innovation and fighting spirit of the Ukrainians up close. It was embodied in their military members, everyday people and by these students who are aviation engineers using their spare time to help Ukrainians innovate in their military. They now have a defense industrial base that we should envy and that we can learn from. They have an innovation cycle measured in days while ours is years. We should be learning from it, not slowing it down.
Lastly I visited the Wall of Remembrance to pay tribute to Ukraine’s dead soldiers. I’m bringing back what I saw and learned from Ukrainian leaders, servicemembers and the Ukrainian people to show the direct impact our support is having on the ground. The safety and security of Ukraine is tied to the safety and security of the United States. Let me explain why.
If we abandon our ally Ukraine, we will be viewed by other countries including our other allies as untrustworthy and in the future we shouldn’t expect their help. As significant as that is, what is a bigger deal is the reaction we would see from China. The Chinese watch everything and they want to take Taiwan. If they view our partnerships and our loyalty to our allies as weak they are more likely to try to take Taiwan by force. If that happens, this President or any future President will have to make one of the most consequential decisions in the history of our country. My goal is to avoid that decision. We avoid that by strengthening our alliances, not weakening them.
Finally, if we stand with Ukraine they will be there for us. This country has a fighting spirit and a depth of experience and kickassness unmatched anywhere in the world today. These are the people you want in your corner. My goal in the Senate is and will continue to be to keep us out of wars. I think that is true for most combat veterans like me. We want to stay out of the fight. But when things go sideways and we find ourselves on the battlefield in a foreign land or God forbid, at home, the first call I’d want to make is to our Ukrainian friends. I know they would be there for us if we are there for them.
The world will become a very cold and lonely place if we continue this ridiculous “screw you, go it alone” foreign policy. It’s dumb and it won’t age well and puts you and your kids and your grandkids at risk. America is the strongest, richest country in the world. We didn’t get there by being bullies like Putin, we got there by leading from the front and bringing our allies. That’s why I’ll continue to share with everyone who will listen why we must keep supporting Ukraine.
Mark Kelly has served his country as a U.S. Navy combat pilot, a NASA astronaut, and now as a U.S. Senator for Arizona. He is an independent leader who came to the Senate to serve Arizona’s working families, not corporate special interests. As the son of two police officers, Senator Kelly learned the value of public service at an early age. He attended public schools from elementary school all the way through graduate school. Senator Kelly earned his B.S. degree in marine engineering and nautical science from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and later an M.S. degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. As a Navy pilot, he made multiple deployments on the aircraft carrier USS Midway and flew 39 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm. Senator Kelly is the recipient of the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, and multiple Air Medals. He has logged more than 5,000 flight hours in more than 50 different aircraft and has over 375 carrier landings. Senator Kelly retired from the Navy with the rank of Captain. Now, Senator Kelly has embarked on his next mission — serving as a U.S. Senator for Arizona, in the seat once held by Senator John McCain. After being sworn in on December 2, 2020, Senator Kelly went right to work helping Arizona get through the COVID-19 pandemic. He helped pass the American Rescue Plan, which put shots in arms and direct relief in the pockets of Arizonans. The Community Navigator Program, which Senator Kelly championed in the American Rescue Plan, is helping Arizona’s small businesses access the resources they need to keep their doors open and save local jobs.