Congressman Cohen Observes Fourth Anniversary of Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine

WASHINGTON - Congressman Steve Cohen TN-9), the House Ranking Member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, released the following statement on today's fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia:

"Four years ago, Putin promised until the final hour that there would be no invasion. Then he sent his elite forces out of Belarus in an attempt to capture Kyiv. After Ukrainian troops valiantly fought back, sending the Russians retreating, he unleashed an army of thugs, conscripts and mercenaries to wreak havoc across Ukraine. Over the past four years, I have called for the United States to stand up and condemn Putin's litany of atrocities and, before and after meeting in person with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, to make military resources available to sustain its defense. As we reach this four-year milestone and American leadership appears to waver, I again pledge to stand with Ukraine and its people who are on the frontlines of democracy fighting for their independence from a tyrannical hegemon obsessed with an anachronistic hope of a return to Soviet era occupation. Putin's treatment of prisoners and kidnapping of children, his use of drone strikes against civilians, his attack on the energy infrastructure in the dead of winter after promising not to, his genocidal crimes against humanity, and his illegitimate claim of a right to the Donbas region must be condemned. Putin is a war criminal, and we must ensure there are consequences for his actions."

Among his many legislative actions regarding the war in Ukraine, Congressman Cohen reintroduced a resolutionlast year calling Russian action in Ukraine a genocide and finding "state-level intent" for heinous war crimes.

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