WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, yesterday returned from Poland with a congressional delegation where he was briefed by senior Polish defense officials, visited U.S. troops, and viewed the massive refugee crisis created by Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine.

Wicker joined Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., on the congressional delegation in a show of bipartisan support for Ukraine and Poland, which are currently on the frontlines of Vladimir Putin’s war against democracy.

“Vladimir Putin is a dictator and serial war criminal who needs to be stopped right now,” Wicker said. “His barbaric assault on Ukraine has provoked a massive humanitarian crisis. The United States and our NATO allies should be doing much more to halt Putin’s horrific advance, and we need to be doing it quickly. This was the sense of all four members of our bipartisan delegation.

“It was an honor to visit with U.S. service members from the 82^nd Airborne, including several Mississippians. Meeting with Poland’s Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak also presented our delegation with the opportunity to signal our unmistakable support for Ukraine and Poland, who are showing great resolve.

“I left the Ukrainian border convinced that it will take a continued and intensified effort from the United States and our NATO allies to stop Vladimir Putin. America must remain steadfast in our support with allies and lead NATO from the front.”

During his trip, the Senator:

• Engaged with American diplomats at the Embassy in Warsaw on a range of issues related to national security
• Met with leadership of the U.S. Army’s 82^nd Airborne Division in Krakow on security challenges related to the Russian invasion
• Visited with leadership from the United States Agency for International Development to address the growing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine
• Met with Polish Minister of National Defense Mariusz Blaszczak to discuss bilateral cooperation in providing security aid to Ukrainian forces repelling Vladimir Putin

See Senator Wicker’s most recent work championing Ukraine and standing up to Russia here. See his latest op-eds on the issue here and here.