Senator Schumer Warns That US Must Act Quickly to Combat Russia If Bill Is Not Passed

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., issued a warning on Monday, stating that if Republicans do not assist in passing the Senate’s border security bill, which includes $60 billion in aid for Ukraine, then Russia will prevail and U.S. troops will soon be fighting in a NATO ally in Eastern Europe.

“We’re at a turning point in America,” Schumer said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “This bill is crucial, and history will look back on it and say did America fail itself?

“Why is it crucial? Well, if we don’t aid Ukraine, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin will walk all over Ukraine, we will lose the war, and we could be fighting in Eastern Europe in a NATO ally in a few years. Americans won’t like that.”

The bipartisan legislation, which also includes aid to Israel and Taiwan, was released over the weekend and received a cool reception among GOP lawmakers. Even though Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., worked to negotiate the deal, and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., gave it a thumbs up, it faces an uncertain future, especially in the GOP-controlled House.

“If we don’t help Israel defend itself against Hamas, that perpetual war will go on and on and on,” Schumer said. “If we don’t help with humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, hundreds and thousands could starve. And the border; everyone has said it’s chaos.”

Schumer then attributed Republican objections to the legislation to the Democrats’ favorite boogeyman: former President Donald Trump.

“Too many Republicans, including Speaker [Mike] Johnson [R-La.], are just scared to death of Donald Trump,” Schumer said. “Donald Trump has said he wants chaos. Donald Trump has said, well, wait until I become president. That will take at least a year. Ukraine could be gone, the border will get much worse, war in the Middle East will get worse, maybe bringing us into it. He’s doing this all for political reasons.

“The majority of Republican senators know this bill is the right thing to do. It’s a compromise. I don’t like everything in it; neither does McConnell. … Will the senators drown out the political noise from Trump and his minions and do the right thing for America?”