Whitehouse Joins Congressional Delegation to Odesa, Ukraine

Congressional delegation urged the Trump administration and U.S. allies to provide additional support for Ukraine to force Putin to the negotiating table

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Chris Coons (D-DE) today traveled to Odesa, Ukraine to reiterate the ironclad, bipartisan support for Ukraine in the U.S. Congress and among the American people.

During the visit, the congressional delegation met with Ukrainian government and military officials, Ukrainian border guard personnel, port and maritime security leaders, American agriculture and logistics companies operating in Ukraine, and local faith, civic and private-sector leaders.  The Senators received on-site briefings from Ukrainian and U.S. officials on air defense capabilities protecting Black Sea ports, the impact of Russian drone and missile strikes on critical infrastructure, and ongoing maritime security challenges.

Senators Whitehouse and Blumenthal traveled to Kyiv, Ukraine on Monday, where they met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and members of his cabinet, and visited Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital and a power plant to observe the scale of Russia’s attacks against Ukraine.  Whitehouse first traveled to Ukraine in January 2023.

“It was an honor to meet the heroic Ukrainians fighting for their freedom on the frontlines and defending themselves in the Black Sea,” said Whitehouse.  “I strongly support the bipartisan consensus emerging that the U.S. and the world must crack down on the shadow fleet of oil and gas tankers servicing the Russian oil economy.  Disrupting the shadow fleet will put immense pressure on Vladimir Putin and his corrupt oligarchs and boost Ukraine’s position at the negotiating table.”

“Nearly four years since Putin’s full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian people continue to stand strong against unending waves of brutal Russian attacks on innocent civilians.  It was my honor to lead this delegation and to meet with Ukrainians from all walks of life who are standing bravely on the frontlines of freedom,” said Shaheen.  “Their message, and ours, is clear: The path to peace requires sustained pressure on Vladimir Putin—not pressure on Ukraine to concede its sovereignty.  Every day that the Trump Administration fails to act to meaningfully bring Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, more innocent Ukrainians will die needlessly.  It is long past due for President Trump to tighten sanctions on Russia, provide security assistance for Ukraine and to exert real pressure on Russia.  Until President Trump finally gets tough, Putin will continue to string him along.  If the President refuses to act, Congress must.  My bipartisan legislation to crack down on Russia’s shadow fleet and its Chinese enablers has already cleared the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with wide support.  This legislation is ready to move to the Senate floor the moment we return next week and would pass with overwhelming bipartisan backing.  Doing so would send an unmistakable message to Putin that time is not on his side.”

“In Kyiv and now Odesa, I am so deeply moved to witness the unspeakable death and destruction wrought by Russia met with unstoppable Ukrainian grit and grace,” said Blumenthal.  “America should match their courage with ours—weapons not just words, sledgehammer economic pressure, like my Russia sanctions measure.  They’re asking for ammunition, not applause.  Putin is a monster thug who only understands strength—and continues to play America, even in the most recent talks in Geneva.  I’ve been shocked to learn that Putin is purposely targeting American businesses—bombing more than half of the 600 with operations here.  It’s open season on American plants and offices in Ukraine.  This trip convinces me that redoubled U.S. support – more than rhetoric – is essential to Ukraine’s battlefield strength and peace.  The false narrative that Russia is winning must be dispelled.  Ukraine’s fight is our fight.  They can win it.”

“For nearly four years, brave Ukrainian soldiers have fought and died on the global front line of freedom in the face of Putin’s brutal war of aggression,” said Coons.  “They have been supported not just by the United States, but by our partners and allies in Europe and around the world.  The Ukrainian people deserve our support for a just and lasting peace that will ensure their sovereignty and security, not a temporary deal that will allow Russia to rearm and come back for Kyiv a few years down the road.  I’m proud to travel with my colleagues this week to thank the Ukrainian people for standing up for democracy and to pledge our continued support in Congress for robust intelligence, military, and financial support to their cause.”

Whitehouse has championed U.S. support for Ukraine from the start of Russia’s invasion.  Shortly after the invasion in 2022, Whitehouse and Blumenthal partnered with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to establish the informal Ukraine Victory Caucus.  Whitehouse and Graham engaged in a colloquy on the Senate floor focused on the need for the U.S. and its allies to recognize that Ukrainian victory was possible.

On Saturday, the bipartisan CODEL McCain delegation issued a joint statement urging significantly increased interdiction of the shadow fleet that is servicing Russia’s oil economy.

Whitehouse, Shaheen, Blumenthal, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch (R-ID) introduced the SHADOW Fleets Sanctions Act to crack down on the fleet of dangerously dilapidated and reflagged oil tankers that Russia uses to circumvent existing U.S. sanctions, fuel its economy, and fund its war on Ukraine.  The legislation, which last month advanced out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, punishes the facilitators and enablers of Putin’s shadow fleet and further discourages countries from purchasing Russian oil.  Whitehouse, in his role as Senate Ranking Member of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, also sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent urging the Trump administration to impose further sanctions on Russia’s shadow fleet.

Senators Whitehouse and Blumenthal worked to include the following provisions in the FY2026 NDAA and appropriations packages that are now law:

• $400 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI);
• Extending USAI’s statutory authority to December 2029;
• Statutory authority for the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) Initiative, by which NATO allies purchase American weapons and equipment to send to Ukraine;
• Ensuring every US intelligence agency can continue sharing intelligence with Ukraine;
• Extending the authorization for the Intelligence Community Coordinator for Russian Atrocities Accountability;
• Including a Sense of Congress provision finding that Russia has abducted, forcibly transferred, or facilitated the illegal deportation of at least 20,000 Ukrainian children; and
• Including the Abducted Ukrainian Children Recovery and Accountability Act, which commits the U.S. to helping recover forcibly transferred children.

Senators Whitehouse’s bipartisan REPO for Ukrainians Act passed into law in April 2024.  The law allows frozen sovereign assets of the Russian Federation to be used, including through seizure, for rebuilding Ukraine.  In October 2024, the Biden administration and G7 allies announced a collective $50 billion loan to Ukraine, to be repaid with funds generated by Russia’s frozen sovereign assets.  The United States contributed $20 billion of the $50 billion loan from Russia’s proceeds, which was disbursed at no cost to taxpayers.  In September, Whitehouse and Risch introduced the bipartisan REPO 2.0 bill to better implement REPO Act and encourage the administration to send frozen Russian sovereign assets under U.S. jurisdiction to Ukraine on a quarterly basis.

Whitehouse, Graham, and Blumenthal’s bipartisan, bicameral Asset Seizure for Ukraine Reconstruction Act would aid Ukraine by allowing the U.S. government to more quickly seize and transfer private assets owned by sanctioned Russian oligarchs and others that aid the Russian government in violation of U.S. laws.  The measure would also clarify that the U.S. government can transfer to Ukraine all the funds it acquires through seizure of Russian oligarch assets.  In late 2022, Whitehouse and Graham passed bipartisan legislation into law to allow for the first time the transfer of seized assets of Putin and his corrupt oligarchs to help pay for the reconstruction of Ukraine.