SHAHEEN STATEMENT ON RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation and a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine:

“Vladimir Putin will face the full wrath of the transatlantic alliance for violating Ukraine’s sovereignty and waging war on the Ukrainian people,” said Shaheen. “The United States rightly pursued every diplomatic avenue in response to Putin’s concerns, but his thirst for power killed any attempt for a peaceful solution to this crisis. Now, it is paramount that the global community stand together and send a message to Putin and any dictator willing to use violence to achieve their ambitions that there will be consequences for breaking international law and violating a nation’s territorial integrity. Every option must be placed on the table to stop Putin’s malevolence that not only threatens Ukraine and Eastern Europe, but the security of all liberal democracies around the globe. Putin chose a path to war, and he must now suffer the consequences. I urge the Biden administration to respond swiftly and in concert with our allies to impose crushing economic sanctions on Kremlin officials, Russian entities and other actors involved in this attack on Ukraine. Most critically, our response to Putin must be in lockstep with our allies to provide assistance to the Ukrainian people and shore up the defense of frontline NATO countries. As our NATO allies rallied to our side in the aftermath of 9/11, so must we stand by them now in the face of Putin’s bloodthirsty actions. The international community can and will punish Putin for his crimes.”