On Monday, a group of seven United States (US) senators met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv to affirm Washington’s commitment and discuss plans to counter Russia’s increasing belligerency towards Ukraine.
The bipartisan group of senators included Democrats Jeanne Shaheen, Chris Murphy, Amy Klobuchar, and Richard Blumenthal, along with Republican senators Rob Portman, Kevin Cramer, and Roger Wicker.
Senator Portman, the co-chairman of the Senate Ukraine Caucus and a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, said, “We believe that this is a crucial time for us to come.” Portman stressed that American support for Ukraine is crucial as Kyiv tries to implement critical domestic reforms while defending its territorial integrity against Russia. Portman mentioned the $300 million in military assistance to Ukraine’s armed forces that the US recently approved under the National Defence Authorization Act.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Senator Blumenthal emphasised that Washington is ready to impose “crippling economic sanctions” on Moscow. However, he stressed that giving lethal arms to Ukraine will be more important, adding that the weapons can include “Javelin anti-tank missiles, Stinger missiles, small arms and boats.”
Senator Klobuchar warned Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying, “There will be consequences if he chooses to violate the sanctity of this democracy,” referring to Moscow amassing troops along the Ukrainian border in preparation for a possible invasion. Senator Shaheen also slammed Putin in a tweet as she declared the US’ support for its European partners.
Had a productive meeting w/@ZelenskyyUa today & made clear that the U.S. is united across party lines in support of Ukraine against Putin’s belligerence. Putin will not be allowed to target our Eastern European partners and allies w/o consequences.
— Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (@SenatorShaheen) January 17, 2022
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the American delegation saying that their visit represents “constant bicameral, bipartisan support for our state, as well as its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” as he updated the senators about the security situation around Ukraine. Zelensky also thanked the US for assistance in the field of security amid Russian aggression, adding that the US Congress will play an important role in supporting Ukraine’s “Euro-Atlantic aspirations.”
The meeting discussed the energy and security challenges presented by Russia’s flagship gas pipeline to Europe, Nord Stream 2. The Nord Stream 2 is a particularly politicised issue of concern between the US, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine. The US is concerned that operationalisation of the pipeline will increase Europe’s gas dependence on Russia. Last December, the US and Germany threatened to shut down the pipeline if Russia invaded Ukraine.
Separately, Zelensky also informed the senators about Russia’s passport campaign in the occupied territories that might be used to escalate tensions under the rationale of “protection of Russian citizens.”
While talking to CNN, Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Oleg Nikolenko, said he expects Monday’s meeting with US senators to bolster chances of the US Congress imposing sanctions on Russia.
The high-ranking meeting between US and Ukraine comes after Kyiv suffered cyberattacks over the weekend, allegedly by Russian hackers. US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the cyberattacks were part of the “Russian playbook,” as Moscow denied all allegations. Last week, Sullivan accused Russia of planning a “false flag” operation in an attempt to create a pretext for invading Ukraine.