Hello,

Early yesterday morning, Russian President Vladimir Putin made the disastrous choice to order his military forces to invade Ukraine. This was an unprovoked and premeditated attack on a sovereign nation, which will result in the loss of many innocent lives and a humanitarian crisis. Putin’s war of choice will be felt all around the world, jeopardizing peace and security in the region and exasperating an economy recovering from the pandemic.

Led by President Biden, our government has led a response with our allies across the globe in delivering swift and punishing sanctions that will have a long-lasting impact on Putin and his government. And there will be more to come as Putin’s army marches on Kyiv. We must also ensure that Ukrainians and our allies in the region have the humanitarian support they need to deal with this painful crisis.

The senseless violence we have all seen unfold over the past day is the result of a dictator who is determined to expand his reach with total disregard for international law and norms. We must stay together and strong in the face of this authoritarian threat and continue to lend aid to our allies in Europe and mitigate the economic impact at home.

Thank you,

Peter Welch