By Trendsetter Tribune 
Rep. Mike Turner blasts Russia’s Christmas strikes on civilians and warns Americans that supporting Putin goes against U.S. values and national security.
Rep. Mike Turner is sounding the alarm — and he isn’t sugar-coating it.
The Ohio Republican said Sunday that Russia’s brutal strikes on Ukrainian civilian homes — including attacks on Christmas — should shock Americans into clarity about whose side the U.S. stands on.
Speaking on ABC News’s This Week, the former House Intelligence Committee chair said that the images pouring out of Ukraine are a stark reminder that Vladimir Putin is waging an aggressive, unprovoked war — not a defensive mission.
Turner warned that as Putin continues to pound Kyiv and residential neighborhoods, Americans must recognize that supporting Russia directly conflicts with America’s values.
He added:
“You can’t be America First and be pro-Russia. Russia is a self-declared adversary of the United States.”
Turner emphasized that Moscow is killing civilians and trying to seize sovereign Ukrainian land, making it impossible to pretend neutrality.
A High-Stakes Meeting — And a Risky Peace Plan
Turner’s comments come just hours before President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were scheduled to meet in Florida to discuss a revised, 20-point peace proposal.
The reported outline includes:
- Russia withdrawing from several regions
- Creation of an estimated $800 billion reconstruction fund
- Efforts to rebuild Ukraine’s economy and infrastructure
Zelensky appears prepared to make painful concessions to end the nearly four-year war — but Putin has offered little in return.
Security Guarantees Remain the Toughest Question
Zelensky also continues to demand iron-clad security guarantees from Western allies to ensure Moscow cannot invade again.
Turner warned this may be the most difficult promise to secure:
Ukraine wants proof the West will stand firm — not just now, but if Russia tries to come back stronger.
“It’s going to be difficult to give those assurances,” Turner said. “The West has to show it will rise to the occasion — again — if Russia reassembles.”
The stakes: peace, credibility, deterrence — and the future of Europe’s security order