Blue Dogs Condemn Putin’s Actions in Ukraine; Urge Both Parties to Stand Firm Against Russia’s Aggression

WASHINGTON—Today, Blue Dog Coalition leadership condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions in Ukraine and urged both parties to stand firm against Russian aggression:

Blue Dog Communications Co-Chair Rep. Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., said, "Escalating Russian aggression must be met with multilateral sanctions of unprecedented severity and scope —the cancellation of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline and the continued provision of offensive and defensive weapons to Ukraine – so the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian people can defend their homeland. Russia must pay a swift and steep price for their actions. On the home front, Democrats and Republicans should set aside their partisan differences and stand united as patriotic Americans in the face of Russian aggression, consistent with the adage that ‘politics stops at the water's edge.'"

Blue Dog National Security Task Force Chair Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., said, "As a Navy veteran and former Russian policy officer, I traveled to Ukraine and spoke to President Zelensky a few weeks ago. Putin's recognition of separatist movements in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine is a clear violation of the 2015 Minsk Protocol. The US, the EU, and our NATO allies are united against Russia's aggression and attempts to destabilize Ukraine. The deployment of so-called ‘peacekeepers' to the Donbas region of Ukraine is an extension of Russia's invasion of Crimea in 2014, the first time a sovereign nation in Europe had been invaded for territorial gain since World War II. It is time for the US and our partners to levy stiff sanctions against Putin's regime."