Van Hollen Statement on Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) released the following statement regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

“Putin’s invasion of Ukrainian territory represents a gross violation of its sovereignty and the rights of its people. I support President Biden’s decision to take swift action and impose a first round of sanctions on two Russian banking entities, Russian elites close to Putin, and Russia’s sovereign debt – as well as Germany’s decision to halt the Nord Stream 2 project. These tough sanctions – taken in lockstep with our allies – not only send a clear signal to Putin but will also impose immediate costs on the Russian regime. I agree wholeheartedly with President Biden’s commitment to imposing further waves of punishing sanctions should Putin continue to reject diplomacy and further escalate this conflict. As my colleagues and I discussed with our allies at this weekend’s Munich Security Conference, we must continue working in concert with our NATO and other partners to ensure Russia pays a steep price for its hostile and destabilizing actions.”