SARASOTA, Fla. – Congressman Vern Buchanan issued the below statement following Russia’s overnight attack on Ukraine.
“Not only has Vladimir Putin launched an unprovoked attack on Ukraine, marking the greatest geopolitical conflict in Europe in a generation, but has also launched a bold attack on freedom and democracy across the globe.
“The United States stands in solidarity with Ukraine, one of our strongest democratic allies in Europe. America and her partners will not tolerate Putin’s wanton aggression and authoritarianism. The Biden administration was slow to react to Putin’s military buildup over the past month. Economic sanctions should have been imposed weeks ago. Now, as missiles are launched into Ukraine and casualties continue to mount, the U.S. must take the danger that Putin poses very seriously. We can and should impose the strongest sanctions possible on Russia, the Kremlin and all who support this attack.”
Buchanan is the co-chair of the House Democracy Partnership, of which Ukraine has been a longstanding partner country, and he visited the country in 2017 and 2019.
###
