"We have a president that wants to pal around with Putin"

 

Texas Representative Jasmine Crockett has vehemently criticized President Donald Trump's recent statements about Ukraine and Russia , warning that his "lies" could potentially lead us into "the next World War."

Speaking from the Congress floor today, Rep. Crockett boldly condemned the sudden shift in stance by Trump and Republicans from defending Ukraine to backing Russia. "Guess what? Russia invaded Ukraine . Can we at least agree on that one? Facts matter."

"Y'all, this is literally potentially putting us into an international crisis. We may be heading towards the next World War because we have a president that wants to pal around with Putin and wants to do everything to make him feel good, including lying about who invaded who," she continued.

"Mr. Chair, I, I got a minute left, but I really want to yield to any of my colleagues and ask them if they will say today, very basically, that when it came down to the war in Ukraine, that it was not Ukraine that invaded Russia, it was the other way around. Is there anybody in here that has enough courage to say that Russia invaded Ukraine? You can have my time."

As no one responded, Crockett concluded with a pointed, "And this is the problem!" before forcefully yielding the floor. Crockett's remarks are a direct rebuttal to Trump's false accusation that Ukraine initiated the war, which has claimed tens of thousands of Ukrainian lives, sparking outrage and fear in a nation that has been resisting a significantly larger Russian military for nearly three years, reports the Express US .

Trump labeled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as " a dictator without elections" alleging his popularity among the electorate was plummeting. Zelenskyy countered on Wednesday, attributing the spread of such misinformation to Russia, with some of Trump's statements mirroring Russia's own portrayal of the conflict.

The deadly unrest in Eastern Ukraine sparked off in 2014, resulting in over 14,000 fatalities by early 2022. On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a comprehensive invasion across various fronts in Ukraine.

In retaliation, Ukraine's president declared martial law and vowed to put up a strong fight, while Western countries condemned Moscow's actions. Ukraine's ambitions to deepen its relationship with the West, including its public intention to join NATO - an alliance partially formed to counter Soviet expansion - have been met with Russian antagonism.

Putin sought to justify the invasion with the baseless assertion that it was essential to protect Russian-speaking civilians in eastern Ukraine and prevent the country from joining NATO. Zelenskyy, who assumed office for a five-year term in 2019, was set for re-election in the Spring of 2024.

However, Ukrainian legislation prohibits parliamentary or presidential elections during martial law, enabling Zelenskyy to retain power. As per the Ukrainian government, several factors "would render it literally impossible to ensure a fair electoral process in the circumstances of a total war."

According to the United Nations' refugee agency, a whopping 6.9 million Ukrainian refugees have been registered worldwide since February 2022. A large number of these individuals remain displaced outside their country due to the ongoing conflict, making it virtually impossible for them all to participate in an election and potentially stripping millions of their voting rights.

Additionally, about 800,000 soldiers are currently serving in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, fighting to stop Russian advances. Holding an election would necessitate pulling these soldiers back from the front lines to vote, thereby weakening Ukraine's military position.

Moreover, those involved in combat would be unable to run for office, a right that is protected by Ukrainian law. Many Ukrainians live in areas under Russian control, effectively preventing them from taking part in any electoral processes.

Given Russia's ongoing attacks on both military and civilian targets across the country, gathering millions of citizens in crowded polling stations could present additional dangers.  

by Yelena Mandenberg, Newsbreak