Senators Kaine, Warner release statements on recent Russian actions, back Biden response

WASHINGTON (WDBJ) - UPDATE: Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) also released a statement regarding the recent developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, including President Biden’s new sanctions against Moscow:

“I commend President Biden for taking action to punish Putin’s blatant violation of international law and affront to Ukraine’s sovereignty. This is a crisis of Putin’s own making, and he must reverse course immediately by withdrawing troops back to Russian territory and refraining from further aggression.

“But if Russia continues to take steps to violate Ukraine’s sovereignty, the U.S. must work in lock-step with our international partners to impose additional crippling sanctions. We will not stand for Russian aggression.”

Kaine helped introduce the Defending Ukraine Sovereignty Act of 2022 in January. This legislation imposes heavy sanctions on the Russian banking sector and senior military and government officials if President Putin escalates hostile action in or against Ukraine.

EARLIER STORY: Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, offered his take Tuesday on the recent aggression put forth by Russia in formally recognizing the independence of Moscow-backed breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine and ordering troops into those areas:

“I just returned to Washington after several days of meetings with our partners and allies in Munich and in London. My takeaway from those meetings is this: the West has never been as resolute or as unified in standing up to Putin’s brazen, reckless and illegal course of action. The United States and our partners stand with the cause of democracy and with the people of Ukraine at this perilous moment.

“Along with my colleagues in Congress, I support President Biden’s measures to impose significant costs on Russia and its autocratic government in response to its unjustified and unacceptable aggression. Those announced today by the President, taken in coordination with our allies, are a good first step, and we must be prepared to impose additional costs on Putin if he carries through on his threats to further invade Ukraine.

“I will also support measures to bolster the readiness and deterrence of the NATO alliance. While we do not want escalation between nuclear powers, there must be no mistake regarding NATO’s readiness to protect its members and deter Russia’s aggression. Putin’s misguided and dangerous actions will only act to further unify this decades-strong alliance of nations.”

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