Travel to Ukraine

12/10/2024

Let's Travel to Mondelēz International and see what's happening in Russia!

11/25/2024

Let's Travel to Kaluga!

HUR drones hit a fuel depot in Kaluga, Russia, sparking massive explosions and fire. Local videos show air defenses failing to stop the precision strikes.

11/17/2024

PEOPLE POWER!! Biden allows Ukraine to use US arms to strike inside Russia https://mailchi.mp/usukraine/online-webinar-what-is-the-goal-of-assistance-to-ukraine-10338658?e=04e73a38d5

11/15/2024

Today, let's travel to The Hague! A very fascinating and moving podcast! Produced by Michael Buryk, a member of the Advisory Board of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation.

Miriam Guttman is an award-winning Dutch filmmaker and photographer. She directed the new documentary “Front Row”. The American actress and television producer Sarah Jessica Parker is the executive producer. The film tells the story of the United Ukrainian Ballet Company founded in the Hague in the Netherlands with a group of 60 Ukrainian war refugees in 2022 by the famous Dutch ballerina Igone de Jongh. An essential part of the film is the brotherly relationship that develops between ballet dancer Oleksiy Tiutiunnyk and 26-year-old Ukrainian wounded veteran Oleksandr Budko. Oleksandr meets the ballet company at a performance in Washington, D.C., and aspires to perform with them even though he is a double amputee. He eventually does in Los Angeles in July 2023.

This inspiring documentary makes its world premiere in New York City on Saturday, November 16, 2024, at 6:15PM at the Village East theater by Angelika.

Miriam Guttman is an award-winning Dutch filmmaker and photographer. She directed the new documentary "Front Row". The American actress and television producer Sarah Jessica Parker is the executive

11/08/2024

Travel to Longview, Texas!

10/21/2024

Travel to BOSTON ! BOSTON ! BOSTON ! ... A delegation of top Ukrainian government communication professionals will be in Boston, Massachusetts from Oct 25 to Nov 2. We are in need of some "Citizen Ambassadors" ... individuals who would like to know more about the activities and events for this delegation, as well as volunteering to be a family host (ideally for those living inside of Route 128 toward Boston), let us know ... leave a comment herein or email: [email protected] ... and someone will get back to you!

10/16/2024

Travel to Texas!

10/15/2024

Traveling down the path of economic ruin ...

As the Russian economy tanks, immiseration and social discontent grow, and money dries up, Putin won’t have the resources to fuel his war machine.

10/09/2024

Traveling to Kursk? ... seems that Russians are not united and ready to defend themselves against all outsiders.

Paul Goble Staunton, Sept. 20 – Immediately after Ukrainian forces moved into Kursk Oblast, 39 percent of Russians said they w...

10/02/2024

Time for Pepsi to Travel out of Russia!

Are your morning oats funding a war? Quaker Oats, owned by PepsiCo, is still being sold in Russia under the local name “Чудо” (Chudo). Last year, according to…

09/25/2024

We're traveling to the UN today ...

Ukraine’s president urged global leaders Wednesday to stand with his country and not seek “an out” instead of a “real, just peace" more than two years into R...

09/25/2024

Travel to see the National Ballet of Ukraine! Upcoming U.S. Tour — ... Special Limited-Time Offer! Save 20% on Select Seats! For all the information, go to: https://mailchi.mp/usukraine/online-webinar-10336858?e=57d6ac845c

09/20/2024

Traveling to Kursk?

Paul Goble Staunton, Sept. 4 – The Kremlin has continued to lie about the Ukrainian advance in Kursk Oblast and Western analys...

09/04/2024

Travel to Congress!

Congress is scheduled to return next Monday, September 9th, and is planning to recess until after the Election on Friday, September 27th. That is only three weeks, and there is a loaded agenda.

This is not comprehensive, but here are a few things relating to Ukraine that we should keep in mind as Congressmen and Senators come back into session: the National Defense Authorization Act and Department of Defense spending legislation.

FUNDING THE GOVERNMENT

It is hard to see—actually impossible to see—Congress having the time in these three weeks to either enact all of the appropriations bills for FY25 or to come to an agreement on a full-year spending deal. So, we will be back to the familiar and distasteful need for a continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government running beyond the end of the Fiscal Year (October 1).

Even though the House passed its version of defense appropriations before the end of June and the Senate Committee on Appropriations approved its version in July, it appears the two versions will not be reconciled until after the election. If true, the Department of Defense will need to be part of a CR.

Under a continuing resolution, the Pentagon (and other departments and agencies) will be stuck at the previous year’s funding levels, unable to start new programs unless there are exceptions in the CR.

We have urged that the Administration ask for additional military aid for Ukraine to be included in any CR so that we will be watching. While lawmakers are arguing for more money for Ukraine, the inclusion of such a request would bring out the “no to Ukraine” crowd, which is blind to the critical importance of a Ukrainian victory to our own national security interests. They remain a minority within the House Republican Caucus but they and their few Senate counterparts cause problems beyond their numbers.

In this context, I continue to note that Members—both supporters and opponents of Ukraine—continue to say they hear very little from constituents supporting Ukraine. Congressional offices keep track of such communications, and, given all those in favor of Ukraine defeating Putin, Members not hearing support for Ukraine is inexcusable.

It is also worth noting that one other item likely to complicate the passage of a CR is a House Republican plan to add a requirement of proof of citizenship to register to vote.

FY25 DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION

Here again, the House passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in June, and the Senate Committee on Armed Services reported its version in June, but it was not brought to the Senate floor before the recess.

Word is that Majority Leader Schumer is not likely to schedule the floor debate with so little time before Congress recesses for the election. It is expected that the NDAA will face hundreds of amendments on the Senate floor, many of which might force Senators to cast votes they would rather not cast until after the election.

The bottom line is that considerable work will eventually need to be done to reconcile the House and Senate versions once the Senate acts, and this will not happen until after the election.

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ROBERT MCCONNELL
Co-Founder, U.S.-Ukraine Foundation
Director of External Affairs, Friends of Ukraine Network

This post expresses Mr. McConnell’s view and does not necessarily represent the views of the U.S.-Ukraine Foundation or those of the Friends of Ukraine Network (FOUN).