Press Releases

“As we continue to track Russia’s military buildup along the border with Ukraine, I am deeply concerned that Russia could engineer a “false flag” attack as a pretext for a full-fledged invasion, an act that would be consistent with past Russian behavior. I am likewise concerned that Russia could undertake other destabilizing measures against Ukraine, possibly to lay the groundwork for a full-scale war.

“Despite the concerted efforts by the administration in close partnership with our NATO allies and Ukraine itself, it is clear that Putin continues to view a sovereign democratic Ukraine as a threat and one that he may use military force to confront. It is critical that we stand ready to impose severe economic costs on Russia if they attack Ukraine, such as crippling sanctions on Russia’s largest financial institutions and more. We must also provide Ukraine with the defensive weapons needed to deter aggression, and, if unsuccessful at deterrence, make a Russian invasion costly to the invaders. An invasion of Ukraine would be an outrageous and illegal assault on a democratic neighbor by Russia, and we must be prepared to meet this challenge head on in partnership with our European allies.”

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