U.S. lawmakers on both sides of the aisle spoke in support of embattled Ukraine as Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a military attack on his neighboring country early Thursday.
“One person alone, Vladimir Putin, is responsible for the destruction and likely deaths that will occur from this unprovoked military incursion,” Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, tweeted. “He will be held accountable for these actions.”
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), also a member of the Foreign Relations Committee, echoed the calls for strong action against Russia.
“The US will stand with our Ukrainian allies, continue to provide them with arms to defend themselves, and work to counter Putin and hold accountable those responsible for this aggression,” Cruz tweeted.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), who ran for her party’s presidential nomination in 2020, called for unity at home and abroad.
“Putin’s invasion of a free democracy has begun. The warnings from our Intel sources were right,” Klobuchar tweeted. “There must now be swift sanctions and consequences worldwide.”
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) said the world should challenge the invasion with financial measures.
“Russia has a weak economy,” Lieu tweeted. “The U.S. and our allies will target Russia’s economy with sanctions, to create the same situation that caused the Soviet Union to collapse.”
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, who appeared enamored of Putin even before his presidency, praised the Russian leader.
“I mean, he’s taking over a country for $2 worth of sanctions. I’d say that’s pretty smart,” Trump said in a radio interview this week.
Many of Trump’s allies, including Fox News personalities, shrugged off the conflict. Tucker Carlson suggested President Joe Biden was actually the aggressor.
In an apparent reaction to Trump’s comments, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), one of the few anti-Trump Republicans, tweeted: “There is no excuse for praising or appeasing Putin.”
Biden, who spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday night, pledged the U.S. will impose further sanctions on Russia. Biden will meet G-7 leaders virtually on Thursday morning to coordinate the response.