Shaheen, Senators Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Recognizing Russia’s Actions in Ukraine as a Genocide

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, introduced a bipartisan resolution led by U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-ID) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) recognizing Russia’s actions in Ukraine, which include forced deportations to Russia and the purposeful killing of Ukrainian civilians in mass atrocities, as constituting acts of genocide against the people of Ukraine. The legislation is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Rob Portman (R-OH) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

“Vladimir Putin is waging a campaign of violence and terror in Ukraine that specifically targets civilians and seeks to wipe out the Ukrainian culture and its people. The United States needs to call it what it is and the global community must respond accordingly. These are acts of genocide and must be stopped now,” said Shaheen. “Our resolution sends a powerful message from the U.S. Senate that we will not take our eyes off of Ukraine and we will keep working together to help our democratic partners defend their rights and to see Putin punished for his atrocities.”

This resolution:

• Condemns Russia for committing acts of genocide against the people of Ukraine;
• Calls on the United States, along with NATO and EU allies, to support the government of Ukraine to prevent further acts of Russian genocide against the Ukrainian people; and
• Supports tribunals and international criminal investigations to hold Russian political leaders and military personnel accountable for a war of aggression, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.

Text of the resolution can be found here.

Also a member of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, Senator Shaheen has led action in the Senate in support of Ukraine in response to Putin’s belligerence. In March, the Senate passed bipartisan legislation cosponsored by Shaheen that would ensure the U.S. undertakes coordinated efforts to collect and maintain evidence of war crimes and atrocities committed by Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine. Recently, legislation co-led by Shaheen to speed up military assistance to Ukraine and Eastern European nations was signed into law. In February, Shaheen led a successful bipartisan effort with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) to pass a resolution that conveys a renewed and overwhelmingly bipartisan message from the U.S. Senate in fierce support of Ukraine. Earlier this year, Shaheen and Portman led a bipartisan delegation to Ukraine, where they met with President Zelenskyy and members of his administration. 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.

As co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group, which Shaheen re-started with Senator Thom Tillis (D-NC) in 2018, Shaheen has spearheaded action in the Senate in support of the transatlantic Alliance to bolster the global response to Putin’s war in Ukraine and threat to democracies around the world.

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