Democrats are standing behind President Biden’s response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mr. Biden plans to announce another round of “severe sanctions” against Russia after calling the invasion an “unjustified attack” and vowing “the world will hold Russia accountable.”
The reaction is unifying Democrats from opposite ends of the party.
“Together with our NATO allies and international partners, I support President Biden imposing significant sanctions on Russia’s economy, military and its corrupt oligarchs as a severe consequence for this unprovoked act of aggression,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a liberal firebrand from Massachusetts. “The United States will continue leveraging all of our diplomatic, political, and economic tools to bring an end to this unprovoked attack and hold the Kremlin to account.”
Sen. Joe Manchin, a centrist from West Virginia, said the invasion “is a blatant act of war” and “an unacceptable attack.”
“In response to the direct invasion of a sovereign state, the United States and our allies around the globe must take immediate action and impose crippling sanctions to address Russia’s anti-democratic, aggressive actions,” Mr. Manchin said. “Vladimir Putin has made his intentions clear and is now acting on his longtime and dangerous ambitions.”
“The United States will not tolerate this reprehensible behavior, and there will and must be consequences,” the West Virginia Democrat said. “Vladimir Putin has shown us who he is and we cannot try to appease him or sacrifice our national security and that of our allies.”
Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois said blood is on Mr. Putin’s hands.
“Our nation, our NATO allies and all countries who value human rights, sovereignty and the rule of law must hold him and his cronies fully, painfully and immediately accountable,” the Illinois Democrat said in a statement. “Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked and inexcusable escalation of this violent invasion will succeed in only one thing: uniting the free world against Russia’s autocratic regime in support of Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty, its people and its right to self-governance.”
Mr. Biden said the invasion is “a premeditated war.”
“Russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring, and the United States and its allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way,” Mr. Biden said Thursday. “The world will hold Russia accountable.”
The jury is out on whether new economic sanctions will be enough to stop Mr. Putin — or whether the international community will have to reconsider military action.
The United States, the European Union and their allies imposed sanctions against Russia following the 2014 annexation of Crimea. Mr. Biden and the international community imposed more financial sanctions earlier this week.
Some foreign policy analysts, though, say Mr. Putin only understands strength.
The invasion, meanwhile, sent global stocks tumbling and could accelerate inflation, putting more financial pressure on families and businesses across the United States.
Russia is the world’s third-biggest producer of petroleum and a major exporter of natural gas.
Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, who is up for reelection, said the “unconscionable invasion of another sovereign nation is a direct threat not only to the people of Ukraine, but to peace, freedom, and security in every corner of the world.”
“The United States and our allies must bring to bear crippling consequences on Vladimir Putin and the Russian economy as a whole, as we also provide support to the Ukrainian People and our NATO allies,” Ms. Hassan said. “Americans must stand united, and our NATO alliance must stand strong against Putin’s aggression.”
Rep. Conor Lamb, a candidate for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, said the “unprovoked invasion of Ukraine must be met with punitive economic sanctions by the United States and our allies.”
“Putin and those around him must be made to feel severe, lasting consequences for this unlawful attack,” Mr. Lamb said.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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