Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during his annual news conference and call-in show at Gostinny Dvor, in Moscow, Dec. 19, 2025. (Pavel Bednyakov/AP Photo)
But for Bacon, it's a matter of right versus wrong that he believes will be remembered for years to come.
"Someday in the history books, it's going to read which leaders stood up, which ones were [Winston Churchills] and which ones were [Neville Chamberlains]. Chamberlain gave away land in Czechoslovakia to appease Hitler. And Hitler said all he wanted was the Sudetenland, and then a year later, he invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia. Then a year later he invaded Poland," Bacon said.
"We've got to know a bad guy when we see one, and [Russian President Vladimir Putin] is a bad guy. He's made clear, it's not just about Ukraine. He wants to regain the rest of what the Soviet Union had. And so history is being written, and I want to be on the right side. I hope every Republican does."
Fitzpatrick introduced a bill in December aimed at sanctioning the Russian Federation if it refuses to negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine or violates any existing peace agreement that may have been instituted.
The latest congressional record, dated Tuesday, appears to show Fitzpatrick introduced a resolution geared toward fast-tracking that bill onto the floor. His office did not respond to requests for an interview.
A source familiar with the lawmakers' planning told Fox News Digital, however, that he and Bacon would give House GOP leaders "one last chance" to hold a vote on Russia sanctions. The source said Fitzpatrick was also directly communicating with the White House regarding a House vote on the measure.
The Trump administration has already imposed some sanctions on Russian entities, primarily targeting its vast oil and gas sector. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)
"One, you know, it's not normal for members of the majority to do a discharge petition because we have the majority, but I also know the political realities that Mike Johnson is under," Bacon said, noting the slim House GOP majority and Trump's influence. "Second, I know a lot of folks don't want to get in front of President Trump, but I think he's failing in this area."
"I mean, [former President Joe Biden] was weak on Ukraine-Russia. I mean he sent a lot of aid. It was always late, tardy…and they had rules of engagement. He was trying to make Ukraine fight with one arm tied behind its back, but I find Trump has done even less. When you look at the amount of aid that we've provided, it's like 1% of what we were doing under Biden. Now, granted, I know he's selling weapons to NATO countries, and they're giving it to Ukraine, but we should be doing so much more."
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But he sounded optimistic that their discharge petition — and another similar measure on sending more aid to Ukraine that both he and Fitzpatrick have joined Democrats on — will get enough GOP support to prevail. The Democrat bill, led by Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., needs just one more GOP signature to force a vote.
"We've got one [Republican] on the fence, thinking about it, and we have one that wants to wait until the primary is done. So we're talking a month or two months. But I wish we had it tomorrow. Ukrainians are dying every day. And so, to me, the necessity of getting this done soon is very clear to me," Bacon said.
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-republicans-threaten-force-russia-sanctions-vote-after-giving-leadership-one-last-chance