Alabama lawmakers react to Ukraine plea for help

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - A room full of lawmakers turned out to hear from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Wednesday. Some of them were from Alabama.

“President Zelenskyy, I’ve got to know him over the last six months,” said Sen. Tommy Tuberville. “I went to see him in August. Great guy. He’s got his hands full.”

In his request for a no-fly zone over Ukraine, there’s been mixed support from Congress. Many agree it could further escalate tensions between the U.S. and Russia.

“I would say no right now,” said Rep. Barry Moore. “That’s just kind of where I think we are on it. I don’t think we need to necessarily put our, we got to defend our NATO allies if it keeps coming to that. But I don’t necessarily think we need to go into a no-fly commitment yet.”

Both leaders are critical of the Biden administration. Tuberville told our team in Washington, D.C. the nation is scrambling.

“This time last year when Russia started putting troops around the border, we let the president know that. He knew that,” Tuberville said. “And we should have warned Putin at that time. Every time you put people on the border we’re going to give you sanctions and we’re going to put more weapons into Ukraine.”

The weapons mentioned are manufactured locally.

“The business we’re doing is we’re sending missiles over there from Troy, Alabama to help the Ukrainians. That’s the only business we’re doing in Russia right now,” Moore said.

“It’s just amazing how much we’re involved, the state of Alabama, in terms of protection of our national security and obviously other people’s now,” Tuberville.

WSFA 12 News also reached out to Rep. Terri Sewell, the only Democrat representing the state in Congress. In a statement she told us:

“Today, my congressional colleagues and I welcomed President Zelenskyy for his virtual address to Congress and conveyed our strong support to the people of Ukraine. I am in awe of the extraordinary courage displayed by the Ukrainian people as they defend democracy. America is taking strong and unprecedented steps to hold Putin accountable for his unprovoked war and impose consequences that will weaken Putin and his supporters. In coordination with the Biden Administration and our allies, Congress has and will continue to pass legislation to support the Ukrainian people including a ban on the sale of Russian oil and energy products and $13.6 billion in humanitarian, military, and economic support. Soon, the House will pass legislation to revoke permanent normal trade relations from Russia which will further isolate it from the world.”

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