Senate leaders send Putin symbolic warning shot amid invasion fears

Senate leadership and top committee members are sending Russian President Vladimir Putin a symbolic warning shot, saying he will “pay a severe price” if he escalates his aggression toward Ukraine and throwing their support behind Kyiv.  

The statement from Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) and top members of the Armed Services, Banking, Foreign Relations and Intelligence committees comes as senators remain eager to show their support for Ukraine but haven’t been able to reach an agreement on a sanctions bill. 

“Should Vladimir Putin further escalate his ongoing assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty, Russia must be made to pay a severe price. We are prepared to fully support the immediate imposition of strong, robust, and effective sanctions on Russia, as well as tough restrictions and controls on exports to Russia, and we will urge our allies and partners in Europe and around the world to join us,” the senators said. 

“The international order established in the aftermath of World War II has not faced such a grave threat since the Cold War. This order, which protects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations, has enabled an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity for the United States and its allies. Unfortunately, Russia is threatening this system, and the United States is prepared to meet this challenge with bipartisan and unified resolve,” they added.  

The senators also reiterated their support for Ukraine, including economic, security and humanitarian assistance. 

“Make no mistake: the United States Senate stands with the people of Ukraine and our NATO allies and partners most threatened by Russian aggression. Our troops stand ready to reinforce the defenses of our Eastern European allies and we are prepared to respond decisively to Russian efforts to undermine the security of the United States at home and abroad. We also call upon our allies to join us in bolstering NATO’s eastern flank,” they added. 

The statement comes as hopes dim of passing sanctions legislation before senators leave town as soon as Thursday for a one-week break. 

Senate Republicans — led by Sen. James Risch (Idaho), the top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee — introduced their own sanctions bill on Tuesday, with Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) accusing Republicans of choosing “partisan posturing instead of working to reach consensus on a comprehensive bipartisan proposal that would demonstrate a united front to deter Putin from re-invading Ukraine.” 

Though Risch and Menendez were optimistic they could reach an agreement on financial penalties on Moscow, they hit roadblocks amid deep disagreements on secondary sanctions related to Russia’s banks, which could have broader impacts across Europe, and what to do about Nord Stream 2, the pipeline that would carry natural gas from Russia to Germany.

There was talk late last week of having votes on competing proposals, with Democrats offering a measure that was closer to their negotiating stance and Republicans offering a bill that reflected their priorities. But lawmakers were also wary of bringing up a bill if it would fail because it could send a signal to Russia and European allies that the Congress is divided on its support for Ukraine and its opposition to Russia’s recent aggression. 

Instead, senators have focused on shrinking their legislative ambitions in an effort to do something bipartisan on Ukraine. In addition to the statement, senators are also discussing a nonbinding “sense of the Senate” resolution.  

“It would be nice if we could issue a strong statement representing the views of the Congress on both sides in support of Ukraine and in opposition to what Russia’s trying to do there,” Thune said.

Menendez, Risch, and Sens. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) also signed on to the joint statement.