Jimmy Lee Tillman II, the founder, and president of the Martin Luther King Republicans and Academy Fellow with the Heritage Foundation, class of 2021, issued the following statement regarding the Russia -Ukraine crisis.
Chicago, IL After conferring with military specialists and foreign policy experts in Chicago and Washington, D.C., Tillman addressed Illinois veterans around 6:30 p.m. in the Chatham area concerning President Biden's weak speech on February 24, 2022.
Tillman said, "While everyone is looking at Russia's activity in Ukraine, Putin may be staring at Belarus. There are three things to consider on WHY this crisis may be happening.
The increased instability in the Wider Black Sea region ( Ukraine, Georgia, and the Republic of Moldova) threatens NATO's eastern front.
Russia's goal has always been to reabsorb the former Soviet states and seize dominant influence over central Europe.
Putin has no respect for President Biden and thinks he is a punk-ass coward."
"While Putin may not be as strong as his predecessors," Tillman continued," he is friendly with China, has oil and gas customers, and a fair military. This action is Putin's test."
"America, with our European allies, must checkmate Putin and turn our serious attention to China. Allies must establish energy independence from Russia, help neutralize Putin's most dangerous weapons, and deploy adequate conventional and strategic deterrent forces."
"Russia is losing in the great power race because it lacks the tools and resources to be a global player. They are worried about the European Union pursuing alternatives to their gas to diversify the EU's energy sources and supply. Putin is looking way past Ukraine. Experts believe he is eyeballing Belarus. Putin may engineer a referendum movement that will end in consolidating the Belarusian people into the Russian Federation. "
"Developing a comprehensive strategy for Military deterrence in the Baltic-Black Sea area is crucial. This increased instability in the Wider Black Sea Region poses a threat to NATO's eastern front and must be addressed. NATO is obligated to develop a plan within the Alliance's Strategic Concept framework to guarantee the chances of future accession of Georgia and Ukraine."
"We must be strong. We are America!"
Jimmy Lee Tillman II is also a historian and author of Tillman's Handbook of Great Black American Patriots and a candidate for US Senate in Illinois.