ICYMI: Shaheen-Backed Resolution Against War Crimes Unanimously Passes the Senate

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) – Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation – issued the following statement after the Senate unanimously approved a bipartisan resolution last night that she cosponsored, calling for Vladimir Putin and members of his regime to be held accountable for the numerous acts of war crimes, aggression and human rights abuses conducted under his watch. During a virtual address to Congress this morning, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lauded the Senate for approving the resolution.

The resolution does the following:

• Strongly condemns the ongoing violence, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and systematic human rights abuses being carried out by the Russian Armed Forces and their proxies and President Putin’s military commanders, at the direction of President Vladimir Putin.
• Encourages member states to petition the ICC or other appropriate international tribunal to take any appropriate steps to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Russian Armed Forces and their proxies and President Putin’s military commanders, at the direction of President Vladimir Putin.
• Supports any investigation into war crimes, crimes against humanity, and systematic human rights abuses levied by President Vladimir Putin, the Russian Security Council, the Russian Armed Forces and their proxies, and President Putin’s military commanders.
• Encourages the United States Government and partner nations to use their voice, vote, and influence in international institutions in which they are members to hold President Vladimir Putin, the Russian Security Council, the Russian Armed Forces and their proxies, and President Putin’s military commanders accountable for their sponsorship of ongoing violence, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and systematic human rights abuses.
• Stands with the people of Ukraine who have been affected by the brutality of the Putin regime.

“Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked violence in Ukraine has horrified the world as we watch maternity hospitals, schools, apartment buildings and other civilian centers bombed and decimated by the Kremlin’s forces. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is killing innocent civilians, demolishing homes, towns and cities, and spurring a massive refugee and humanitarian crisis. This resolution from the Senate sends an unequivocal message that the United States, across party lines, is bound by moral obligation and a commitment to uphold international law to hold Putin and all those culpable to account,” said Shaheen. “I’ll continue to work in Congress and with the Biden administration to see that Ukraine gets the military and humanitarian assistance it needs, in addition to what Congress delivered through the government funding legislation signed into law this week. Ukraine is not only fighting for their freedom, but for the stability and security of democracies around the world.”

The text of the resolution can be found here.

Shaheen has led action in the U.S. Senate in support of Ukraine in response to Vladimir Putin’s belligerence against Ukraine, which also threatens the stability and security of Eastern Europe and NATO allies. Last month, Shaheen led a successful bipartisan effort with Portman to pass a resolution that conveys a renewed and overwhelmingly bipartisan message from the U.S. Senate in fierce support of Ukraine. In January, Shaheen and Portman led a bipartisan delegation to Ukraine, where they met with President Zelenskyy and members of his administration. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, she supported the inclusion of $13.6 billion in security assistance that was part of government funding legislation signed into law by President Biden.

Senator Shaheen has long led efforts in the Senate to hold Russia accountable for its malign activity against the U.S. and its allies. Because of her role as a negotiator on Russia sanctions legislation known as “CAATSA” and her successful efforts to ban Kaspersky Lab software from operating on U.S. systems, Shaheen was sanctioned by the Kremlin in 2017. Before the Shaheen-Portman congressional delegation visit to Ukraine in January, Shaheen led a bipartisan group of lawmakers to Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, last June.

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