Ranking Member Shaheen, Senator Tillis Issue Joint Statement on Russian Airstrike in Kyiv

WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group, released the following statement in response to Russia's recent airstrike on Kyiv, the largest airstrike since the start of the war:

"It has been three weeks since President Trump met with Vladimir Putin. Since that time, Putin met with fellow autocrats in Beijing to conspire against America and returned to Moscow to escalate his illegal invasion of Ukraine. Russia deliberately struck EU diplomatic facilities and other Western assets in Kyiv-a calculated provocation against America's allies. Russia has now launched the largest aerial assault since the invasion began-firing more than 800 drones and missiles, setting Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers ablaze and killing civilians, including a mother and her infant.

"At the very moment Putin escalates, the United States appears to be cutting back. Programs like Section 333 security cooperation, which includes the Baltic Security Initiative-lifelines for NATO's eastern flank-are now on the chopping block, even as Europe takes on more of the burden. The message this sends is dangerous: that the United States is pulling back just as the stakes in Ukraine and for NATO's security are at their highest. Our adversaries are taking note that they can wait out American support-that does not make America safer.

"Putin has shown us time and again that he is a liar and a murderer. He never wanted peace. Congress should swiftly pass legislation that imposes crippling sanctions on Putin's regime and cement continued U.S. military support to Ukraine and NATO's Eastern Flank. America must not hand Putin an advantage; the cost of inaction to America's security is too high."

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