SLO County congressman toured war-ravaged Ukraine in rare multi-day visit. Here’s what he saw
California Congressman Jimmy Panetta traveled to Ukraine for five days in early August to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other key leaders amid the ongoing war with Russia.
“Ukraine continues to inspire democracies throughout the world as it continues to fight for its own democracy, autonomy and humanity,” Panetta said in a news release. “It was very impactful to spend time not only in the country, but also with the people of Ukraine, including its leadership, its soldiers, sailors and veterans, and its citizens, all of whom are determined to not just survive, but also to succeed.”
Panetta represents California’s 19th congressional district stretching from south San Jose in Santa Clara County to northern parts of San Luis Obispo County, also encompassing the coastal areas of Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.
From Aug. 3 through Aug. 9, Panetta and a bipartisan delegation traveled to multiple locations across Ukraine to reaffirm American support for Ukraine — which has been facing unprovoked Russian aggression since 2022 — survey war damage and provide oversight of United States assistance, the release said.
In addition to Panetta, the delegation included Congresswoman Celeste Maloy, R-Utah, as well as Congressman Donald Norcross, D-New Jersey.
Congressional delegations to Ukraine are usually only allowed to spend less than a day in the country and are confined to the capitol city of Kyiv, but over the five days Panetta and his colleagues spent in Ukraine, they also visited the southern seaport city of Odesa and Bucha, where Russia massacred hundreds of Ukrainian citizens in 2022 before its forces were finally pushed out of the area.
While Panetta was in Kyiv, Russia fired ballistic missiles and other air assaults on the capital, the release said. The rockets were shot down by U.S. Patriot missile defense systems that are deployed throughout the city.
During their trip, the members of congress met with President Zelenskyy, First Lady Olena Zelenska, Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, as well as military, energy, anti-corruption, American embassy officials and humanitarian leaders, according to the release.
The members also met with Ukrainian veterans, internally displaced citizens and orphans, the release said.
Among their destinations were Okhmatdyt Children’s Hospital, which was struck by a Russian missile last month, Saint Andrew’s church in Bucha to pay respects to war victims, Hansen Ukrainian Mission supporting internally displaced Ukrainians and orphans, and strategic thermal power plants that were destroyed by Russian missile strikes, according the the release.
“As disheartening as it was to see and hear about the many tragedies of this war, it was heartening to see and hear firsthand how American support, especially our work in Congress to pass legislation for supplemental funding, is properly being used on the battlefield and affecting not just the Ukrainian military efforts, but also the morale of the Ukrainian people,” Panetta said.
Congressman says it’s ‘necessary to stop Putin, promote a peaceful outcome’ in Ukraine
Panetta has been a champion of the fight for international aid and robust support to Ukraine in congress.
In April, Panetta helped pass a broad national security package that included $61 billion in security aid for Ukraine and support for the sale of seized Russian assets.
The package came on the heels of previous appropriations that provided more than $65 billion in humanitarian, military and economic assistance to our democratic allies, the release said.
Panetta also authored and introduced the bipartisan, bicameral Ukraine Human Rights Policy Act to hold Russia accountable for its human rights abuses.
The congressman co-leads the NO LIMITS Act which would hold Chinese Communist Party military firms providing assistance to Russia’s war efforts accountable, and he continues to fight for a resolution that strongly condemns the forced adoption of Ukrainian children by the Russian Federation and calls for the return of Ukrainian children to their home country and families.
Panetta is one of 268 United States representatives who has endorsed Kamala Harris for the 2024 presidential election, who supports a “just and lasting peace” for Ukraine and has pushed through billions of dollars in aid.
“As this war of attrition continues, support from democracies around the world, combined with Ukrainian innovation, resilience and determination, is necessary to stop Putin, promote a peaceful outcome and protect the international world order,” Panetta said.
This story was originally published August 14, 2024 at 10:12 AM.
