Washington, DC – Today, Co-Chairs of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Congressman Mike Quigley (IL-05), and Congressman Joe Wilson (SC-02) issued the following statement in response to Ukraine’s ceasefire proposal and Russia’s continued strikes that undermine any credible path to peace:

“Ukraine has extended an olive branch: an immediate, temporary ceasefire grounded in the protection of human life and the pursuit of a just peace.  In the face of Russia’s continued aggression, this proposal reflects the moral clarity of a free people: willing to seek peace, unwilling to surrender sovereignty, and determined to defend the dignity of their nation.

“For years, the world has watched Russia strike Ukrainian cities, energy infrastructure, and civilians while claiming to seek peace. Simultaneously, the Kremlin is only advancing a symbolic pause tied to its World War II Victory Day commemorations — an observance Dictator Vladimir Putin has increasingly weaponized as a tool of propaganda and imperial grievance. A ceasefire cannot be selective, conditional, or timed for political convenience. It must be real, verifiable, and honored in good faith.

“Putin should accept and fully respect Ukraine’s ceasefire beginning tonight. The choice before the Kremlin is clear: continue a war that has brought devastation to Ukraine and isolation to Russia, or take a meaningful step toward peace.

“The lesson is not distant history. It is the test before us now. Europe once again faces a war of conquest—an effort to erase Ukraine’s borders, extinguish its identity, and deny a free people the right to determine their own future.

“History has shown where wars of aggression lead when the world looks away. It has also shown how they end: aggression rejected, sovereignty defended, and peace secured through strength.

“We stand united— Democrats and Republicans — in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty, in defense of international law, and in recognition of the immense sacrifices already made by the Ukrainian people. We honor those who have fallen resisting tyranny and fighting for Liberty on the continent of Europe, just as we remember the lives of the 420,000 Americans and countless millions who gave their lives to defeat an ideology based on hatred and domination eight decades ago.

“The path to peace is open. The responsibility to take it rests with the Kremlin. And as one united front, we say clearly: America stands with the people of Ukraine.”