WATCH: Rep. Gallego Remarks at the Helsinki Commission Hearing
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07), a member of the Commission on Security & Cooperation in Europe, spoke at today’s hearing, “Crowdsourcing Victory: Inside the Civil Society Campaign to Improve the Lethality and Survivability of the Ukrainian Military.”
Click here to watch the video.
Witnesses testifying at the hearing included:
- Dora Chomiak, President of U.S.-based NGO Razom for Ukraine
- Taras Chmut, Director of the Ukraine-based foundation Come Back Alive
- Serhiy Prytula, Founder and Chairman of the Ukraine-based Prytula Charity Foundation
- Jonas Öhman, Founder and Head of the Lithuania-based NGO Blue/Yellow for Ukraine
For more information on the hearing, click here.
Full Transcript:
Rep. Ruben Gallego: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Dr. Chomiak, hope I said that correctly.
Ms. Dora Chomiak: Just Miss, I don’t have a Doctorate yet.
RG: Ah, well in case you want it. Well, we'll hand them out without the debt, too. Thank you for your testimony and for your leadership on these urging humanitarian issues. In your written testimony, you stated that you stated that some critical items needed are under export restrictions in the U.S., which makes it harder or impossible to get to Ukraine. Some of the ones you're speaking of were consumer drones, thermal cameras and night vision equipment. Can you talk more specifically about what about where you find the greatest hiccups in this export process?
Ms. Chomiak: Absolutely. Thank you very much for that question. We have found some hiccups and specifically, it's in protective equipment, bulletproof vests and helmets of level three and four. We have been able to get those to our drivers, for example, we have drivers that go into small vans and go straight into the hot zones and back again. We did that with a partner organization, that's very difficult. More and more now, there is a need for night vision equipment. This is really so that when people are delivering aid and moving around, they're able to see what's happening. And of course, now, as it's the time of year where it gets darker, faster, and the assault on the electrical grid in Ukraine makes it literally darker, that becomes more important.
We also have had some challenges with civil and enterprise drones that are sort of, in my layman's terms, like binoculars in the sky, so drivers know what's coming up ahead so they can get there safer. And then communications equipment, which is so important because, yes, everyone's got a cell phone in Ukraine, but when you're there, bad guys around, you want to be able to speak and use encrypted radios so that you can get that aid to where it needs to go. And so those are some of the things that we've tripped up on.
So the issue would be if you with your colleagues could work with the executive branch to issue a general license so this kind of equipment could come to Ukraine, and it doesn't need to come through our organization, through any organization if it can be put in the hands of Ukrainians so they can stay safe, then I think we can save a lot of lives, because our goal continues to be to build a prosperous Ukraine. Right now, it's meant stopping the bleeding and saving lives. But we continue to do education programs and culture programs and investment programs. And I would encourage you to also think in terms of the investment in Ukraine, what we're all learning here as a global community of people who respect rule of law, is also this opportunity for innovation and investment in technologies like whether it's bar codes or any kind of communications. There's really a lot of potential and opportunity that that if we can smooth the process of things getting back and forth. I think we’ll all live more comfortably.
RG: Thank you, Mr. Chmut. Congratulations to come back alive for becoming the first charitable organization in Ukraine to receive a license for the purchase and import of military and dual use goods. You stressed the importance of removing Ukraine from the crime control column of the commerce control list. How would this change impact come back live and what would you then be able to provide for Ukraine's defense?
Taras Chmut: Thank you for your question. For us and for our American partners this will allow to purchase American equipment and technology faster than before. If Ukraine is removed from that column of that that category, that that you mentioned, that will speed up delivery of supplies for Ukraine tremendously. It is unfortunate that the war has such a big scale and the losses are so significant that the Ukrainian government on its own cannot or even government held from those states cannot fully cover all those needs that that continue to exist. This is why it is so important for us to achieve all possible simplifications of the procedures that will make our work more effective.
RG: Thank you. Next question is for Mr. Öhman. As somebody has witnessed the evolving frontline role of Ukraine's civil society. Do you see pathways toward greater cooperation between Ukraine, civil society and international partners? And in what ways can the international community help you expand networks and effectively employ the experience you and others have built up over the last few years helping Ukraine?
Jonas Öhman: Thank you for the question and it’s a very intricate one we must understand it’s very important. I give you one example to Lithuania, where we have this impressive, I may I say, support from the civil society in general in terms of fundraising, etc., etc., whereas in other countries it's a very different situation. What people consider, you know, the world order differently.
We are working with a challenge as we speak, trying to do to find ways to actually, so to speak, increase their awareness of the situation in Ukraine and the need to, as some have said, this is our war. We have to deal with it, all of us, because otherwise the consequences may be extremely dire. As for, I would like to take this to a little different level when we're talking about international corporate cooperation, let's say also with government actors. At points, I can give you one example: The ones we have been using for getting things, items, equipment into Ukraine fast, without sort of cutting some of the tape. And this we have done in cooperation with parts of the NATO establishment, with the great knowledge of, of officers, etc.. And we see I mean, we also have been supported for instance, the Ukrainian special forces heavily, with night vision equipment and other high end items via the Lithuanian special forces. This cooperation is already happening, but on a smaller level. I definitely would like to address the need for a discussion, a dialog exactly on these issues. We, the civil society, have proven, may I say, our capacity, our capabilities, and our abilities in Ukraine over many, many years. And I would definitely welcome a somewhat more and more open-minded mindset from, let's say, from the supporting parties in the West, NATO, U.S. and others. How could we do this? I think we all agree that we have be smarter, we have to do things more efficiently.
And for that, we have to find the ways. So, I would like to see this hearing maybe as a start for this dialog, because this has to be discussed. We have shown we can do things, and we have shown that we how sometimes we are up to 10 to 20 times faster than the support coming in from a from abroad. I have several specific examples of that. And so, I can ask you welcome your question. I mean, I start turning it back to you. We are open for dialog. Let's talk. Thank you.
RG: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I've been also very lucky to see U.S. civil society, and help to where I can to send support over and have been very encouraged by a lot of patriotic Americans and patriotic Ukrainian-Americans that have been wanting to help out. And, of course, whatever we can do here in Congress, we shall continue to do. It's been a pleasure working with my good friend Mr. Wilson on issues which comes to Ukraine. So, I yield back Mr. Chairman.
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Rep. Ruben Gallego is a Marine Corps combat veteran who served in Iraq. He serves on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Natural Resources Committee, and the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.