Durbin Urges Congress To Finally Pass A Sanctions Bill Against Russia

Durbin Urges Congress To Finally Pass A Sanctions Bill Against Russia

WASHINGTON - As Russian President Vladimir Putin continues his assaults against Ukraine, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today delivered a speech on the Senate floor urging his Republican colleagues to pass the Sanctioning Russia Act in an effort to increase pressure on Putin.

"Over the weekend we witnessed yet another brutal Russian onslaught against Ukraine, a scene brazenly repeated after overtures made to Russian President Putin to end the war," Durbin said.

"I do not begrudge President Trump for trying to engage with Putin-I have met with my fair share of autocrats in my political career. But Putin is not serious about negotiating an end to this war. He is not driven by real estate or personal financial motivations, but by deep personal grievances and twisted readings of history and nostalgia for the Soviet empire. So much so that he has been willing to slaughter thousands of innocent Ukrainians, kidnap children, and send more than a million Russians to become war casualties in pursuit of his myopia," said Durbin.

During his remarks, Durbin condemned Russia for interfering into NATO airspace. Last week, Russia entered NATO airspace in Lithuania. Russian planes have entered the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone at least nine times this year.

Durbin concluded, "I welcome President Trump's recent decision to tighten sanctions [against] Russia. He can and should take further steps to increase military and economic pressure on Putin. And we in Congress should finally pass sanction legislation [against Russia] which has more than 80 cosponsors from both political parties, and we should do it soon."

Video of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin's remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

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