Why did US Representative Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts sign a letter — along with 29 other progressive Democrats — calling upon President Biden to “engage in direct talks with Russia” to end the war in Ukraine?
In a statement, Pressley said she will “always prioritize diplomacy as a route to peace and safety.” But while she said she had no control over its release, she conceded that “the timing and resulting confusion, given Republicans and others actively seeking to undermine the Ukrainian cause, is deeply unfortunate.” That it is.
The letter, since withdrawn, was harshly criticized by other Democrats — including a fellow member of the Massachusetts delegation — for offering a path to negotiations around Ukraine to President Vladimir Putin of Russia. “This letter is an olive branch to a war criminal who’s losing his war,” tweeted Representative Jake Auchincloss, a Marine veteran who served in Afghanistan.
He’s right about that.
The letter, first reported by The Washington Post, was sent to Biden on Oct. 24. In withdrawing it, Representative Pramila Jayapal of Washington, the chairwoman of the Progressive Caucus, said the letter had been drafted several months ago and “released by staff without vetting,” the Post reported. Given what it said, you would think any lawmaker who signed onto it at any time would demand a heads-up before it went public. In a telephone interview, Auchincloss said he is less interested in the politics behind the letter and what it says “about the Democratic caucus” and more appalled by the “bad foreign policy” it represents.
When it comes to defining “good foreign policy,” Auchincloss offers the kind of praise Biden rarely hears these days from anyone, including fellow Democrats. “Good foreign policy is to sustain in a bipartisan way President Biden’s effective strategy in Ukraine, which is really about three parallel initiatives,” said Auchincloss. “One is about sanctions on Russia. One is about support for Ukraine. And one is about international alliances. He’s done a very effective job on all three.”
Auchincloss also said the Biden administration’s policy “is crystal clear” that it’s up to Ukraine to decide the parameters to any negotiated end to the war and “what everyone understands is that the facts on the ground drive the negotiation at the bargaining table.” Now is not the time, he said, to offer an out to Putin. Now is the time to send ammunition and other military supplies to Ukrainians who are “close to taking over Kherson” — the first city to fall to Russia after its invasion.
Blind allegiance to military aid to any country is not expected or desired from any elected representative of any party. We know where that can lead. But this is an especially delicate time in the unprovoked and increasingly horrific war started by Putin. Ukraine is gaining ground and Russia is losing it. Meanwhile, as his military forces retreat, leaving behind death and rubble, Putin is doing what he can to further destroy a country that refuses to bow to his brutality. Representative Kevin McCarthy, the House Republican leader who is likely to become speaker if Republicans take control of House, has already suggested Congress would walk away from the US commitment to Ukraine under Biden. “I think people are gonna be sitting in a recession and they’re not going to write a blank check to Ukraine,” he told Punchbowl News.
For progressive Democrats to do anything to undermine support for Ukraine given what’s happening on the ground right now — not to mention two weeks before the midterm elections — is depressing. Do they really want to help Republicans, not to mention Putin, by undermining Biden? US policy over time can certainly be debated, but right now is not the right time for Democrats to show internal division. Instead, as Auchincloss said, “Now is the time to be seizing the initiative and demonstrating strength and resolve.”
On Tuesday, Pressley was traveling across Massachusetts with Senator Elizabeth Warren as part of a statewide tour to sign up residents for student debt cancellation, a policy put in place by Biden after urging by progressives. It’s not as generous as liberals wanted, but the president came through for them in a reasonable way. Now, they should come through for Biden, too.
After she was asked about the letter, Pressley said she condemns Putin and his regime for “the violent and fatal crimes against Ukrainian civilians and their repeated violations of international law.”
But timing in life and politics is everything, and the timing of this letter was wrong.
Joan Vennochi is a Globe columnist. She can be reached at joan.vennochi@globe.com. Follow her @joan_vennochi.