WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., the highest-ranking Republican on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in China. The last time Xi and Putin met, they agreed to make changes in the world “the likes of which we have not seen for 100 years.”

“This is not just two friends catching up over coffee. Putin is running to his big brother to have a meeting of the world’s most dangerous minds. Will the gang be getting together next week in Pyongyang? Is the Tehran visit in June?” Senator Wicker said. “American leaders need to be taking these growing relationships more seriously. That includes enhancing our military strength with a greater sense of urgency and pushing forward a level of defense investment that meets the moment.”

Senator Wicker published an op-ed today on the strategic alignment among China, North Korea, and Russia, and another op-ed recently about equipping our armed forces with a budget that protects our country in a new Cold War.

This Putin-Xi meeting comes as the Biden administration is internally discussing how to spend $2 billion in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) for Indo-Pacific allies and partners. The funding was part of the national security supplemental. As Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Wicker released the following statement calling on the Biden administration to prioritize FMF funds for critical frontline allies, such as Taiwan and the Philippines.

“I look forward to engaging with the Biden administration to make sure these FMF funds will help shape the security environment in the Indo-Pacific. We must ensure that Taiwan and the Philippines have the right capabilities to counter the increasing Chinese threat,” Senator Wicker said.