Russia's continued bombardment of Kyiv and civilian areas in Ukraine are proof that Moscow is still staging a "war of aggression," meaning Ukraine must have security guarantees in any peace agreement that is reached, Rep. Mike Turner said Sunday.
"Russia is an adversary of the United States," the Ohio Republican said on ABC News' "This Week," before President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's meeting in Florida later in the day.
He further said Russia is "mercilessly" targeting Ukrainians and aims at taking Ukrainian land.
Trump is focused on ending the war, Turner said, adding that any peace framework will hinge on security guarantees that convince Ukraine that Russia will not return later with renewed force.
"In this peace process, as Russia wants Ukrainian concessions, it's going to be much more difficult, because Ukraine wants, of course, assurances that Russia is not going to come back," Turner said.
He said it will be challenging for Western nations to provide the level of deterrence Ukraine wants "to keep Russia from coming back stronger."
Turner added that Russia has not shown a willingness to compromise, noting that Moscow did not accept calls for a ceasefire even on Christmas.
Turner said Trump is trying to broker peace by balancing the two sides' objectives: Russia's push to take territory and Ukraine's demand for sovereignty and security.
Zelenskyy appears to be approaching talks with a workable plan, he said, adding that U.S. allies in Europe appear to be coordinating on the security assurances needed alongside the United States to deter Russia going forward.
Turner also discussed the Christmas Day U.S. strikes on Islamic State targets in Nigeria, saying that they are part of the United States' long-running campaign against the extremist group, not the administration's move to open a new, separate conflict in West Africa.
ISIS "around the world has not been defeated but will continue to be a target," said Turner, a member of the House Armed Services Committee.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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