Key facts
- Blumenthal said he would introduce legislation supporting Ukraine, without giving a date or bill text.
- He called on Washington to assign new negotiators to the trilateral peace talks with Ukraine and Russia.
- He urged Congress to impose public interest controls on Starlink and Starshield.
- He urged sanctions waived by Trump, military aid including air defense, and an end to what he called a diesel deal.
- Blumenthal criticized envoy Steve Witkoff's praise of Putin at their October 21 meeting in Moscow.
Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal said on November 7 that he would introduce legislation supporting Ukraine, called on Washington to assign new negotiators to peace talks and urged Congress to impose public interest controls on Starlink and Starshield, in a post on X.
"Trump needs new negotiators — not fawning pawns who call this brutal murderer a 'humanitarian.' Congress must lead without delay," Blumenthal said in the post.
The US has sent special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to trilateral peace talks with Ukraine and Russia, as well as to bilateral meetings, many of which took place in Moscow, according to the report. At Witkoff's latest meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on October 21, the envoy praised the Russian leader for the release of US political prisoner Stephen Hubbard, who was imprisoned by Russia for over four years before his release.
"You speak so much about how my president, President Trump, is a humanitarian," Witkoff said. "You, too, are a humanitarian, sir, and I commend you for that. I offer you my respect and thank you once again."
Blumenthal also urged additional measures supporting Ukraine and punishing Russia to bring Putin to the negotiating table. "A strong pro-Ukraine post-election wind at our back, we must push right away to impose sanctions waived by Trump, stop his despicable diesel deal, provide military aid, particularly air defense — and other measures to show support necessary to bring Putin to serious peace talks," he said.