Dear Friends,

The world is an increasingly dangerous and chaotic place thanks to Joe Biden’s failed policies. All eyes are now on Eastern Europe, where Vladimir Putin has brought the region to the brink of war and Russian forces are poised to invade Ukraine.

In 1980, Ronald Reagan said, “We know only too well that war comes not when the forces of freedom are strong, but when they are weak. It is then that tyrants are tempted.” Throughout history, this concept of “peace through strength” has been a guiding principle for the wisest statesmen. President Donald Trump understood that this principle was as important today as it’s ever been. President Joe Biden, unfortunately, seems not to grasp this fundamental truth.

Since his inauguration a year ago, President Biden has repeatedly demonstrated weakness to America’s allies and adversaries alike, and the crisis now unfolding in Ukraine is the consequence.

From waiving sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline (allowing much of Europe to become dependent on Russia’s natural gas while hypocritically cracking down on similar pipelines here in the U.S. and undermining our energy independence) to caving to Putin’s demands on the New START Treaty and surrendering all leverage to limit Russia’s nuclear arsenal, Joe Biden has been far too soft on Moscow from the get-go. Even now, as the threat of war looms on the horizon, Biden refuses to proactively impose sanctions on Russia until an invasion commences.

It is no coincidence that Russia has ramped up its aggression and deployed over 100,000 troops along Ukraine’s borders less than six months after President Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Joe Biden and his national security team showed mind-blowing incompetence and shocking weakness, and our rivals across the world took notice – especially those in the Kremlin. It’s worth remembering that all the key members of Biden’s team remain in place even after their disgraceful mistakes in Afghanistan and none have faced any real accountability.

For years, Putin has made no secret of his hopes to restore as much of the old Soviet Union as possible, and he knows that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will oppose any attempts by Russia to move against a member of the alliance.

Ukraine, however, is not part of the NATO alliance, and Putin has been working to extend his power into the country since 2014, even to the point of armed conflict by Russia and Russian-backed separatists to annex Crimea and wage a proxy war in eastern Ukraine. Now, with a seemingly incompetent and weak President Biden in the White House, Putin clearly sees this moment as his opportunity to strike.

We MUST show resolve and strength if we hope to maintain the peace that has existed in most of Europe since 1945. If we fail to hold the line against Moscow’s aggression, they and other adversaries will only grow more bold and more dangerous in the months to come. Already, China is hungrily eying Taiwan, and I fear that’s only a precursor of what may come.

In 1793, President George Washington said to Congress, “If we desire to secure peace… it must be known that we are at all times ready for war.”

As a devout Christian, I am a man of peace, and I am deeply troubled by the daily reports that suggest war is inching closer and closer. I hope and pray that President Biden and those around him will successfully navigate this crisis and bring about a peaceful resolution. The sad truth of the matter, however, is that Biden has not given us many reasons to be optimistic.

U.S. Rep. Jody Hice, R-Greensboro, represents Georgia’s 10th Congressional District.