WASHINGTON – In response to renewed Russian aggression, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement about the U.S. obligation to provide additional support to the people of Ukraine:

“Russia is now on the march in Eastern Ukraine, ignoring its own diplomatic agreements and rejecting new efforts to deescalate the crisis. I always support peaceful means of settling conflicts first, but the Russians have made clear that they have no interest in bargaining and are intent on continuing their invasion of Ukraine. Now is the time for the United States to provide more significant defensive weapons to the Ukrainian military to protect the Ukrainian people and impose a cost on Russia’s blatant aggression. The fact is that without the Russian military’s involvement and an active propaganda campaign, there would be no conflict in eastern Ukraine to speak of. Instead, Russia is now directly involved in expanding the conflict."

“If the United States and our allies do not adequately respond to the Russian tactics being used today in Ukraine, Moscow will be encouraged to use these tactics in other countries on its periphery, potentially leading to significant destabilization across the region. Strengthening the Ukrainian military now, at their moment of peril, is the best way to deter Russia from taking control of further territory and forcing them to negotiate seriously.”