Senator McCormick Calls for Stronger Russian Sanctions to Help End the War in Ukraine | Senate Floor

Remarks as prepared for delivery: “Mr. President, I rise today to speak about the war in Ukraine—and to say something that has been a long time coming: the tide is turning against Vladimir Putin. “For more than four years, Russia has waged a brutal, unprovoked war of aggression against a free and sovereign Ukraine. “Putin bet that Kyiv would fall in days. He bet that the West would fracture in response. And when that didn’t work, he bet that Ukraine would break in a few months. “He was wrong on every count, and today he finds himself in a moment of weakness. “President Trump promised peace through strength, and his strategy is working. By restoring American deterrence, driving our allies to historic levels of defense investment, and pairing diplomacy with the credible threat of crushing economic pressure, President Trump has changed the trajectory of this war. “Putin is weaker today, and Ukraine is stronger. “Now is the time for America to lean into this strategic opportunity and drive Putin’s war machine into the ground. Consider the facts. “For the first time since 2023, Ukrainian forces have retaken more territory than Russia has gained. “The Institute for the Study of War assesses that the war’s momentum is shifting in Ukraine’s favor, that Russia’s spring and summer offensive has stalled, and Russia cannot recruit soldiers fast enough to replace its losses, estimated to be between 30,000 and 40,000 per month. “Since President Trump returned to office in January 2025, Russia has suffered approximately 130 casualties for every square kilometer of Ukrainian territory gained. As you can see on Chart 2, the dark red areas circled in green on the map are all Russia has been able to conquer in the last 18 months. “This is not a Russian war machine on the march. It is a war machine grinding itself to dust. “And how has Ukraine done it? “Through courage, ingenuity, and innovation. Ukrainian drone operators now dominate the battlefield, extending the kill zone more than ten miles beyond the front lines. “Ukraine has built, under fire, one of the most sophisticated defense technology sectors in the world. Ukraine produced over 3.5 million drones last year and is now deploying more than 10,000 daily. “Last week, at the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit, which I hosted, CIA Director John Ratcliffe confirmed that most Russian recruits arriving on the front lines survive an estimated 20 to 30 minutes before they are killed or wounded, with drones causing over 80 percent of battlefield casualties. “Our own warfighters are beginning to implement the lessons learned from the Ukrainian battlefield, and I applaud Secretary Hegseth and Army Secretary Driscoll for leaning into the innovations our armed forces require. “Ukraine has also proven it can strike deep into Russia itself. Russian oil refineries, airfields, ammunition depots, and logistics hubs hundreds of miles from the border are no longer sanctuaries. “The war Putin started is now arriving on his own doorstep. “This matters for a simple reason: Ukraine has demonstrated, beyond any doubt, its ability and its will to defend its own sovereignty. “The Ukrainian people are not asking American soldiers to fight for them. “They are asking for the tools to finish the job themselves. “As someone who wore our nation’s uniform, I understand the difference, and we have a critical opportunity to seize this momentum to increase the pressure on Russia to halt its aggression. “No one has worked harder to end this war than President Trump. “Ukraine is not a perfect partner. Corruption remains a serious problem, and it should be held accountable to the reform commitments it has made. “But President Zelenskyy has shown a willingness to come to the table, while it is Putin who has rejected peace and continued firing on Ukrainian civilians. “And you better believe that Beijing is watching our next move closely. “If unbridled aggression pays in Europe and the Middle East, it will be tempted in the Taiwan Strait. “That is one of the reasons I applaud the President for showing similar resolve against the Iranian threat. “This, combined with increasing the pressure on Putin, will ensure China gets the message that America is serious about peace through strength. “But to be clear, Mr. President, we cannot confuse current momentum with victory. “Putin is still betting on one thing: that he can outlast us. “That our attention will drift, our resolve will soften, and his oil revenues will fund his war machine long enough to exhaust Ukraine’s defenses. “Our job—this body’s job—is to prove him wrong. “And that means striking at the one thing that keeps the Kremlin’s war going: money. “That is why I’m proud to support two strong, bipartisan bills that would give President Trump additional tools to leverage in pursuit of peace. “The first is the appropriately named Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act. “Senator Graham championed a foreign policy rooted in American strength, from the defense of Ukraine to the cause of freedom everywhere. “As you can see on Chart 3, this legislation would authorize sweeping sanctions on Russian officials, oligarchs, banks, state-controlled entities, and the shadow fleet used to evade sanctions. “It would give the President the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on the top importers of Russian crude oil or natural gas and the top five countries facilitating Russian oil sanctions evasion. “Finally, it would cut Russia off from U.S. capital and energy markets by prohibiting U.S. investment in Russia, purchases of Russian sovereign debt, and broker-dealer fund transfers involving the Russian government. “The message is simple: if you bankroll Putin’s war, you will pay a price in the American market. “The second bill is bipartisan legislation I introduced with Senator Coons, Senator Husted, and Senator Warren: the Decreasing Russian Oil Profits, or DROP, Act. “As you can see on Chart 4, the DROP Act targets the single most important source of revenue propping up the Kremlin’s war machine: oil. “This legislation fills a key gap in our sanctions posture by requiring targeted sanctions on anyone, anywhere, dealing in Russian-origin oil: the purchasers, the shippers, the financiers, and the executives who profit from it. “Now is the time to move on these Russia sanctions bills to give the President the tools and the leverage he needs to end this conflict. “Now is the time to increase the pressure on Putin’s unbridled aggression. “Mr. President, this is a bipartisan cause because it is an American cause. “Peace comes through strength, never through weakness, never through wishful thinking. “The tide is turning. “Ukraine is doing its part on the battlefield. “Now the United States Senate must capitalize on this strategic opportunity to weaken Putin’s Russia. “I urge my colleagues to pass the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act and the DROP Act without delay. “Give our President the tools to bring this conflict to a peaceful resolution. “I yield the floor.”