Congressional progressive caucus withdraws letter that tepidly called for diplomacy in Ukraine

The Congressional Progressive Caucus on Tuesday withdrew a letter that mildly expressed support for diplomatic negotiations to end Russia’s war on Ukraine as the document’s 30 signatories faced a torrent of criticism and hysterical backlash from fellow Democrats, party leaders, and pundits on social media.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), the chair of the CPC, said in a statement that the letter addressed to U.S. President Joe Biden “was drafted several months ago, but unfortunately was released by staff without vetting”—a line that was widely seen as Jayapal throwing her staff under the bus.

“As chair of the caucus, I accept responsibility for this,” she added. “Because of the timing, our message is being conflated by some as being equivalent to the recent statement by Republican Leader McCarthy threatening an end to aid to Ukraine if Republicans take over.”

“The proximity of these statements,” the CPC leader said, “created the unfortunate appearance that Democrats, who have strongly and unanimously supported and voted for every package of military, strategic, and economic assistance to the Ukrainian people, are somehow aligned with Republicans who seek to pull the plug on American support for President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian forces.”

Jayapal said that narrative—peddled by one Democratic leader who Politico granted anonymity to slime their colleagues as Putin apologists—could not be “further from the truth.”

“Every war ends with diplomacy, and this one will too after Ukrainian victory,” Jayapal continued. “The letter sent yesterday, although restating that basic principle, has been conflated with GOP opposition to support for the Ukrainians’ just defense of their national sovereignty. As such, it is a distraction at this time and we withdraw the letter.”

Jayapal’s statement capped off a bizarre series of events that began Monday afternoon, when the CPC released a letter voicing support for a “proactive diplomatic push” in pursuit of a “realistic framework for a ceasefire.” The letter directly quoted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who said in May that the war “will be bloody, there will be fighting, but it will only definitively end through diplomacy.”

Though the letter went out of its way to condemn Russia’s aggression, support the arming of Ukraine, and acknowledge the major obstacles to a diplomatic settlement—including Russia’s unlawful annexation of Ukrainian territory—it was immediately maligned on social media and in the press as a dangerous call for “appeasement.”

As the outrage mounted in the hours following the letter’s release, signatories began distancing themselves from its message and insisting on their support for aiding Ukraine militarily—even though the letter doesn’t suggest cutting off military assistance. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) noted in response to one critic of the letter that he has “voted for every defense package to Ukraine.”

Khanna was just one of several prominent progressives who signed the letter, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), and Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.)

Originally published at Commondreams.org.