Transcript: Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick on

The next is the transcript of an interview with Rep. Britan Fitzpatrick, Republican of Pennsylvania, that aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on April 20, 2025.

WEIJIA JIANG: Russia and Ukraine exchanged a whole bunch of prisoners of warfare yesterday, the most important such swap since Russia launched its invasion greater than three years in the past. However regardless of hopes {that a} temporary Easter truce may open the door to lasting peace, each Kyiv and Moscow are accusing one another of breaking the ceasefire. Pennsylvania Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick is simply again from a visit to Ukraine’s entrance line, and he joins us this morning from Langhorne, Pennsylvania. Congressman, thanks for being right here.

REP. BRIAN FITZPATRICK: Good morning, Weijia. Pleased Easter.

WEIJIA JIANG: Pleased Easter to you too. So simply hours in the past, you landed from that go to to Ukraine, and also you had an opportunity to sit down down with President Zelenskyy. Did you discuss in regards to the standing of the peace settlement that the US is making an attempt to dealer?

REP. FITZPATRICK: We certain did. We spent a number of time with them, one-on-one. President Zelenskyy and I’ve spoken many occasions. I think about him a buddy now and an important chief. And sure, we talked at size about an entire host of matters. We did not depart actually something out of the dialogue. And clearly, that day, he was signing a Memorandum of Understanding on a minerals settlement, which they’ve gone forwards and backwards on. , he and I had talks in regards to the safety ensures. That is clearly a giant concern of his. He’s rightfully involved. The historical past is with the Budapest Memorandum. When Ukraine was the third largest possessor nuclear weapons, they gave them up voluntarily, based mostly on a memorandum- additionally a memorandum in 1994 that stated that they’d get safety ensures for- in change for giving up the nuclear arsenal. Because it seems, that that promise was not stored by none apart from Russia, proper? Go determine. So he has justifiable considerations, however we talked by way of that as a result of we do need this financial partnership to be the precursor to safety ensures.

WEIJIA JIANG: And only a fast comply with on that Congressman the President indicated within the Oval Workplace on Thursday that that deal can be signed subsequent week. Have you learnt if that is true?

REP. FITZPATRICK: Properly, that continues to be to be seen, and it depends upon what’s within the deal. So what President Zelensky made clear to me, as he has many occasions, is, , sure agreements might be signed by his finance minister and Secretary Bessent, but when it is worded in another way, if there are particular numbers, for instance, that is one thing that should undergo his parliament and doubtlessly our Congress, if it is style when it comes to a treaty. So a number of it should rely upon the small print and what’s really in it, when it comes to what’s required for approval.

WEIJIA JIANG : Okay. So we’ll wait- wait to see that. You simply talked about all of the frustration that Zelenskyy continues to specific, and he did so with regard to this Easter ceasefire. If these two nations cannot even get by way of a vacation ceasefire, how practical is a 30-day-pause, to not point out the tip of a warfare anytime quickly?

REP. FITZPATRICK: That’s fully as much as Vladimir Putin. The person has by no means stored his phrase, ever in any context, so far as I am conscious. So we now have to know what we’re coping with our authorities, I hope is aware of who they’re coping with, with Vladimir Putin. He is not a person of his phrase. He is not all in favour of peace. I hope he will get there. He’s not all that totally different, Weijia, from the schoolyard bully. For those who have a look at Russia, proper? Clearly, it is large geographically, however a inhabitants of about 150 million individuals, about half the scale of the USA, 1/5 the scale of Europe, a complete GDP of $2 trillion. That is the GDP of the state of Texas. So they’re massive, however they’re weak, they usually’re proving that weak point by the truth that they can not even efficiently prosecute a warfare towards a a lot weaker neighbor. So we acquired to cease, , being fearful or bowing right down to Russia. We have to stand as much as Russia. We have to defend Ukraine, assist Ukraine, and if it is carried out the best manner, this can finish positively. It is all about peace by way of power. There’s peace by way of power and there is warfare by way of weak point. There is no magical third choice.

WEIJIA JIANG: Properly, President Trump and Secretary of State Rubio have stated that the US has to determine if a deal is doable in a matter of days, or simply transfer on. And on Friday, I requested President Trump about this recent sense of urgency. This is what he stated.

[START SOUND ON TAPE]

WEIJIA JIANG: What do you want to see from each side to be able to preserve negotiations going? What do you wish to see from Russia and Ukraine?

DONALD TRUMP: I’ve to see- my complete life has been one huge negotiation, and I do know when persons are taking part in us, and I do know after they’re not. And I’ve to see an enthusiasm to wish to finish it.

[END SOUND ON TAPE]

WEIJIA JIANG: How a lot of this demand, Congressman for enthusiasm, do you suppose it is a direct message to Russia, and the way a lot time do these two sides must get one thing carried out?

REP. FITZPATRICK: Properly, I hope it is directed to Russia. I believe it’s directed to Russia. I can let you know, President Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian individuals. I do know them nicely, Weijia. I’ve lived there as an FBI agent. I used to be assigned there as a- working Russian counterintelligence. They need peace. They are a peaceable nation. There are democratically elected- elected officers, together with President Zelenskyy. They need peace. They didn’t ask for this invasion. They didn’t provoke this invasion. They had been invaded by Vladimir Putin, who had been telegraphing this punch for years. All of us knew what he was meaning to do, and now he is doing it. He views the autumn of the Soviet Union as the best geopolitical catastrophe of our lifetimes, and he is making an attempt to reconstitute it. The first step is Ukraine. We can not enable him to try this, and what we can also’t enable is for the precedent being set right here that dictators are going to be rewarded for violating the territorial borders and territorial sovereignty of their neighbors. We can not reward that. So, , I- I wish to say this too. I believe Secretary Rubio is doing an important job. He is a sensible man. He understands Putin, he understands the dynamic of the- of the Russia-Ukraine battle and the historical past there, and I’ve full religion in his means to barter a simply and honest settlement. However it’s vital to recollect, and this is applicable to all agreements the place we facilitate as a nation, that it is in the end as much as the nations to simply accept and abide by these situations. President Zelensky, the Ukrainian individuals desperately need peace. They’ve all the time needed peace. They had been a peaceable nation earlier than Russia wrongfully invaded them, they usually wish to get it again, however it’s acquired to be a simply and lasting peace.

WEIJIA JIANG: And really shortly, Congressman, as a result of we now have to allow you to go quickly. But when these talks fail, the President was ambiguous about whether or not the Administration would proceed to assist Ukraine, and Speaker Johnson has earlier stated that there was no urge for food for extra support. So will there be a brand new invoice on the Home ground, shortly?

REP. FITZPATRICK: Yeah, I do not wish to get forward of the administration or the Speaker, however I’ll simply depart it at this. I’ll do every thing in my energy to guarantee that Ukraine wins this battle and that Russia loses, and that we now have a peaceable settlement. For those who have a look at each time the Ukraine assist has been placed on the Home ground, overwhelming assist.

WEIJIA JIANG: Thanks, Congressman Fitzpatrick, actually recognize your time.