Ukrainian-born U.S. lawmaker Victoria Spartz has said Ukraine should cede land to Russia, and its people should demand the resignation of President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In an interview with the Telegraph published on April 7, Spartz said Ukraine is not in a position to demand the return of all occupied territories. "If they were winning the war, that would be very different," she added.
Spartz was born in Chernihiv Oblast and moved to the U.S. in 2000. Elected to Congress in 2021 and 2024, she initially supported U.S. aid for Ukraine and has often spoken about the war in personal terms.
However, she has also criticized the Ukrainian government, particularly Zelensky and his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak.
Spartz, who has been a critic of both the Biden administration and the Ukrainian government, supported U.S. President Donald Trump’s call to negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"There are no easy solutions," she said, placing blame on former President Joe Biden for what she sees as failed support.
"President Trump inherited it, so now he has to deal with it."
Commenting on the now infamous Oval Office clash between Trump and Zelensky, she accused the Ukrainian president of "insulting the American president" and doing a "disservice to the Ukrainian people."
Spartz went further, suggesting Ukrainians should vote Zelensky out of office in upcoming elections. "They will have an election, and then if they elect him, they’re going to lose the rest of the country," she said.
On April 4, 2024, The Wall Street Journal reported that Spartz would not support a new $60 billion Ukraine aid bill. She articulated "a lack of clear strategy" and the need for better oversight.
Spartz also said she has "largely moved on from focusing heavily on Ukraine." In October 2023, Spartz also backed fellow Republican Jim Jordan’s calls for more accountability in Ukraine funding and supported the idea of Ukraine aid being delivered in the form of a loan, as was floated by House Republicans.
In June 2024, Politico reported that Rep. Spartz was the subject of a preliminary investigation by the House Ethics Committee over accusations of mistreating her staff and creating a hostile work environment.
In an interview with Newsmax on March 24, Spartz described Trump as "a good negotiator," contrasting him with Zelensky.
"To win wars, you need to have leaders who know how to win, not to try not to lose and become oligarchs themselves," she said. Spartz also claimed Zelensky "took control of all Ukrainian media, prosecuted churches, businesses and volunteers."
