U.S. senators: We are in Ukraine to send clear message to Putin

Members of the U.S. congressional delegation arrived in Ukraine to send a clear warning to Russian President Vladimir Putin about accountability in the event of Russia's further aggression against Ukraine.

The senators stated this at a briefing in Kyiv on Monday, January 17, according to an Ukrinform correspondent.

"We want to send a message to Vladimir Putin that he should understand that we stand with Ukraine as you think about the future and we will hold him accountable should he threaten the sovereignty of Ukraine," said U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire.

She said that Ukrainians should know that the U.S. Congress is on their side and it believes that the Ukrainian people should determine their own future and the future of their country.

According to Senator Roger Wicker, the U.S. delegation is bipartisan and unanimous.

"We are sending a message not only of support to the Ukrainian people, but also we are sending a message to Vladimir Putin. The illegal actions of Vladimir Putin against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and of other sovereign countries are known and condemned around the world," he said.

According to Senator Chris Murphy from Connecticut, U.S. officials are in Ukraine to send a bipartisan and unconditional message that "the United States, Europe and Ukraine will make sure that Russia is dealt a set of consequential blows to their economy and to their security forces if they were to choose to mount a conventional invasion of Ukraine."

"There is no division on that question in the United States now," he said.

Earlier reports said that the U.S. congressional delegation arrived in Ukraine on January 17 to reaffirm the United States' bipartisan support for the sovereignty and territory integrity of Ukraine and democratic reforms in the country.

Photo credit: Pavlo Bagmut, Ukrinform

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