Senate Passes Bipartisan Murphy Resolution Calling for Peaceful End to Crisis in Ukraine, Closer Cooperation with Europe

Press Release

Last night, the Senate passed a resolution authored by U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs, expressing the sense of the Senate that it stands with the people of Ukraine as they continue to peacefully call for closer alignment with the European Union, despite facing unacceptable violence from the Ukrainian government. Over the past two months, the Ukrainian government has engaged in brutal reprisals against the public demonstrations, resulting in numerous arrests, detentions, and even hospitalizations in the capital of Kyiv.

The measure was co-sponsored by U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Ranking Member on the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs, and U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and James Risch (R-Idaho).

The senators urge President Yanukovych to follow through with his commitment to engage in a constructive dialogue with civil society and opposition parties, and to ultimately sign the Association Agreement and Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with the European Union that will set Ukraine back on the path to European integration. Furthermore, the resolution calls for the United States Senate to consider sanctions against those responsible for any further acts of violence against peaceful demonstrators.

"The Ukrainian people understand that they've gotten a raw deal from their government--something I heard firsthand in Kyiv last month," Murphy said. "Ukrainians are protesting in the streets because they understand the consequences of President Yanukovych's short-sighted decision to forgo signing this agreement with the European Union. It's unacceptable that these peaceful demonstrations have been met with aggressive resistance and even violence. This resolution makes clear that further violence by the government will have consequences for our bilateral relationship--a point I stressed with President Yanukovych. I remain hopeful that the Ukraine will ultimately move in the direction its people want, becoming an active member of the European community while maintaining strong relationships with both Russia and the United States."

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