Condemn Russian Naval Aggression

Floor Speech

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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, as co-chair of the Ukrainian Caucus, I rise to strongly condemn Russia's dangerous assault on Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait. Russia's blockade of Ukrainian ports should alarm the world.

As Russian dictator Vladimir Putin attempts to tighten his bloody, illegitimate grip on the Crimean peninsula and his ill will on the people of Ukraine, the free world cannot sit back and watch.

Crimea and its surrounding waters belong to the people of Ukraine. No amount of propaganda can cover Russia's egregious human rights record in Crimea, including the illegitimate detainment of Oleg Sentsov.

We stand shoulder to shoulder with the international community and our NATO allies in our unshakeable commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and freedom. We stand in steadfast solidarity with the Ukrainian people. Russia must understand that its actions have consequences.

We must not hesitate to work with our European allies to increase sanctions on Putin's cronies to punish this continued, flagrant aggression. We demand that Russia withdraw from Crimea and Eastern Ukraine.

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