Sen. Richard Blumenthal: Trump is pressuring Ukraine into submission and siding with Putin

How would you describe the current state of relations between Ukraine and the United States? What should Ukrainians understand about what is happening?

Donald Trump is trying to coerce or pressure Ukraine into submission for reasons that nobody understands. He is siding with Vladimir Putin and betraying not only Ukraine, but the United States' national security interest.

Putin is aiding Iran in helping them target our troops, our bases and our ships in the Middle East by providing intelligence. He's also providing them with fiber-optic technology.

Trump is trying to blame Ukraine for rising prices when, in fact, it's the war in Iran that has caused them.

The interruption of Starlink, the disruption of intelligence sharing that warns about missiles, and other actions that undermine Ukraine are really a disservice to the United States as well as Ukraine.

The people of the United States are with Ukraine. As I go around my state and my country, I find people very strongly backing Ukraine. The vote in the Senate on the Russia sanctions bill was 86 to 11, both Republicans and Democrats.

You mentioned Starshield. You sent a letter to SpaceX about the restrictions. Have you received a response?

We received no answer.

We want to know who made this decision and why. SpaceX can tell us. That's the reason we wrote to them. But we've received no response yet.

You have strongly criticized Trump's decision to allow Russian diesel exports. Why do you think he agreed to this deal?

These deals are about Donald Trump enriching himself. They're about his making money.

His two envoys, Kushner and Witkoff, are doing deals, for example, on Russian oil companies that make more money for Donald Trump's family, his associates and people who could be helpful to him in the future.

The deal on minerals with Ukraine is about supposedly enriching the United States, but it hurts Ukraine.

Meanwhile, most Americans are struggling to put food on the table, pay their mortgage and buy gasoline.

He wants to blame soaring prices on Ukraine because it's hitting Russian oil refineries, when the real cause is the war in Iran.

Do Americans understand that rising fuel prices are linked to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz rather than Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries?

The reason for increasing prices is the Iranians stopping the flow of oil from the Strait of Hormuz, the Houthis attacking Saudi Arabian tankers and the turmoil in the Middle East — not attacks by Ukraine on Russian refineries.

And this diesel deal produces almost no additional fuel for the United States. It's negligible. It's a pittance.

But it provides Putin with a lot more revenue when it lifts the sanctions.

What practical tools does Congress have to challenge the diesel agreement? Could lawmakers introduce legislation or use congressional oversight?

There's no benefit to the United States. It's mainly a benefit to Putin.

Lifting the sanctions means Putin can sell diesel and other fuel on the world market and funnel money into his war machine. He needs that revenue. Otherwise, his economy would crater.

That's why we advocated the Russia sanctions bill — to throttle the flow of revenue from Russian oil and gas sales.

The main purchasers are China and India. They would respond if Trump really threatened to use those tariffs, and they would stop buying Russian oil and gas.

We want to increase the outcry, the outrage and the anger that Americans are feeling.

We can introduce legislation. I don't know when we might do it. We can also take other actions that show Republicans and Democrats are united, such as writing letters.

Trump signed the sanctions legislation you worked on with Lindsey Graham but then delayed its implementation for 60 days. How do you interpret that decision?

By getting my Republican colleagues, Republican senators, to join me, I hope we can put pressure on him.

I've been talking to them. The pressure must grow for him to change course and implement the bill as it was intended.

Lindsey Graham advocated the bill with me.

Could Ukraine use these 60 days to improve relations with the Trump administration, perhaps through new bilateral agreements or joint drone production?

I don't know what to say because Donald Trump seems totally irrational. There's no reason for him to go after Zelenskyy or Ukraine in this way.

But it's worth trying, especially as President Zelenskyy did yesterday in the phone call that I organized.

He was very effective in reaching out to members of Congress. There may be other ways he can improve relations.

Could you tell us more about that call?

We had a phone call with about 25 members of Congress.

President Zelenskyy was very passionate and fiery, very persuasive in showing the casualties and the costs of this war.

He showed a picture of a young child who had been killed.

He said the Starlink service is needed to intercept drones. They're now jet-powered and guided by AI, so they're much quicker.

Intelligence sharing is needed to intercept missiles so Ukraine can see when they're launched.

He was extremely powerful.

Did you agree on any future joint strategy during the call?

I don't think he talked about his future strategy, but about what's needed for air defense, especially as the Russians are hitting energy facilities and resources.

He offered a ceasefire. He would stop hitting Russian energy resources if Russia stopped hitting Ukraine's energy infrastructure and civilians.

Should Ukraine continue striking Russian oil refineries despite US pressure?

I think Ukraine can continue to fight this war. It will continue to fight the war.

Europeans are providing more aid. The United States has to recognize Ukraine is fighting not just for Ukrainians, but for the United States.

If Putin is not stopped in Ukraine, he will keep going against Finland, Sweden, Moldova, Estonia, Lithuania and others.

Then we will have our own sons and daughters on the ground because we're obligated under Article 5 of the NATO treaty.

It's a matter of our national security. We should support Ukraine.

I'm convinced Ukraine will continue fighting with whatever it can.

Could US-Ukraine relations improve after the November midterm elections?

What's really necessary for improved relations is for Democrats to win the elections in November.

In the meantime, we have to work to improve relations by having the public and members of Congress express their anger at President Trump for stopping the flow of military aid, degrading Starlink, halting intelligence sharing and talking critically about Zelenskyy.

What changes do you expect after the elections?

I can't predict the elections. I hope we have a change in the leadership, but I can't predict.

How do you assess Ukraine's military capabilities and its importance as a US partner?

Ukraine has been a very good partner.

Ukraine will have one of the strongest militaries in the world when this conflict is over, probably the strongest military in Europe.

Ukraine has taught America a lot about drone warfare. Your military is inventive and innovative.

Your country is producing more drones than any other country in the world, and you're teaching the world about drone technology.