Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) released a statement in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Over the weekend, Senator Tuberville attended the Munich Security Conference with a bipartisan delegation to discuss tensions in Eastern Europe.
“As we’ve seen from Putin’s aggression, strongly-worded statements don’t stop wars,” Tuberville said. “Rather than discuss a diplomatic resolution, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin chose to invade Ukraine and test world order. His actions must be met with a tough and targeted response.
“For 80 years, Americans have sacrificed to bring security and peace to the European continent. The events of the past 24 hours underscore that it is time for Europe to contribute more to its own security.
President Joe Biden met with Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba of Ukraine on Tuesday to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Biden updated Foreign Minister Kuleba on the United States’ response to Russia’s decision to recognize the purported “independence” of the so-called DNR and LNR regions of Ukraine, including the Executive Order issued Monday night and new sanctions announced Tuesday. He also affirmed that the United States would continue providing security assistance and macroeconomic support to Ukraine. Biden reiterated the readiness of the United States, in close cooperation with our Allies and partners, to respond swiftly and decisively to any further Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Tuberville called on the U.S. to support Ukraine by providing weapons and funding. He called Biden's sanctions on Russia weak and late.
“Allies and adversaries across the globe are watching and they must be left with no doubt about our strength and resolve," Tuberville said. "Strength abroad starts with strength at home through investments in our military readiness and 21st-century capabilities. We must be ready for future conflicts and refrain from having American bloodshed in fights without American interests. I call on my colleagues in the U.S. Senate and our allies to ensure Russia pays a heavy price for Putin’s aggression.”
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23), Republican Whip Steve Scalise (LA-01), Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21), House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul (TX-10), House Armed Services Committee Lead Republican Mike Rogers (AL-03), and House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Mike Turner (OH-10) issued the following statement in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine:
“Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch a renewed invasion of Ukraine is reprehensible,” Rogers et al said. “Sadly, President Biden consistently chose appeasement and his tough talk on Russia was never followed by strong action. Lethal aid was slow-walked, anti-air and anti-ship capabilities were never directly provided, pre-invasion sanctions proportionate to the aggression Putin had already committed were never imposed, and sanctions on Nord Stream 2 were waived.
“The U.S. and our allies must now make the Putin regime pay for this aggression. Congress should compel President Biden to take the tough steps his administration has opposed thus far, we must permanently end Nord Stream 2, implement secondary sanctions on Russian financial institutions, and impose crippling penalties on the industries which the Russian military relies on to make war. Moreover, as House Republicans have been saying for a year, President Biden must finally promote U.S. energy development and help the United States become Europe’s energy partner of choice.
The House Republicans continued by saying China, Iran and North Korea are watching how the U.S. responds.
“We stand in complete solidarity with the innocent Ukrainian people and vow to continue to support them as they defend themselves from Putin’s unprovoked onslaught," The House Republicans stated.
In 2014, Russia invaded the Crimean Peninsula and took it from Ukraine. Simultaneously, pro-Russian Ukrainian separatists, armed with Russian weapons, seized large swathes of Eastern Ukraine. Ukraine has been in a civil war since. Critics suggest that Ukraine has been fighting a proxy war with Russia rather than a true civil war. Putin, in defiance of international law, recognized the two separatist regions in Ukraine, Luhansk and Donetsk, as independent nations on Monday. Thousands of Russian troops poured into the separatist regions on Monday. The Ukrainian separatists have been bombarding Ukrainian positions for days prior to this move. Now Ukrainian forces which had been in a stalemate with the heavily armed separatists are having to deal with the prospects of fighting the actual Russian Army. Presently Ukraine stands alone.
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