The following is a statement from U.S. Senator Tim Kaine yesterday:
| “After President Putin’s announcement of military operations against Ukraine, and Russian missiles and artillery reportedly striking cities across the country, I wanted to be sure to share with you my brief thoughts on the situation: Putin’s decision to attack Ukraine is a desperation move. The Ukrainian people have seen up close the devastation that Russian dominance has produced in Donetsk and Luhansk. And they want none of it. The shift in Ukrainian attitude away from Russia and toward the West, even in Russian-speaking areas near the Russian border, poses a threat to Putin’s personal power and ego. The U.S. and our increasingly tight-knit European allies made every effort to use diplomacy to avert war and bloodshed. Now we will make sure that Putin, and other authoritarian leaders everywhere, know that invasion of another’s sovereignty comes with steep costs. Economic sanctions and shutting off of Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline are just the beginning. I am proud that America is once again affirming the value of alliances rather than demeaning organizations like NATO. There is a global competition between democracies and authoritarian nations. We’ve sadly felt that tension within American politics. But times like this clarify the stakes for all, at home and abroad. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Foreign Relations Committee, as well as a cosponsor of the Defending Ukraine Sovereignty Act of 2022, I am committed to standing strong against Russian aggression. I’ll continue to update you as the situation develops.” |
