Helsinki Co-Chairman Cohen Questions Experts at a Briefing Assessing Ukraine’s Defensive Needs

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Co-Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, better known as the Helsinki Commission, today participated in a briefing with experts assessing Ukraine's defensive needs in its ongoing war with Russia.

In his questions to the experts, Congressman Cohen asked about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's request for Polish MiG fighters:

"Why does (President Volodymyr) Zelensky and, obviously, his military continue to want them? If they want them and they've made that their second desire beyond the No-Fly Over, which is a no-go, why would they want them if they are not as effective as these other deterrent weapons systems?"

See Co-Chairman Cohen's entire line of questioning here.

Witnesses at today's briefing were:

• General (Ret.) Wesley Clark, Senior Fellow, UCLA Burkle Center, Founder, Renew America Together;
• Dr. Stacie Pettyjohn, Senior Fellow, Center for a New American Security;
• Dr. Matthew Koenig, Professor of Government, Georgetown University, Deputy Director, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security Director, Scowcroft Strategy Initiative at the Atlantic Council.

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