Q&A: Russia Sanctions Pave Way to Peace

Q&A: Russia Sanctions Pave Way to Peace

With U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley

Q: How would the Senate-passed sanctions bill help end the war in Ukraine?

A: With an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 86-11, the U.S. Senate sent a clear message to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin: stop the killing and end the largestland war since World War II. The late Sen. Lindsey Graham, the bill's leading champion who led the congressional effort to bring peace to Ukraine, was the driving force to cut off financing of Russia's war machine. The bipartisan legislation would impose stiff financial sanctions and put Russia's energy sector in the crosshairs of an international dragnet by targeting countries that export or invest in Russian oil and gas. The bill would empower the president to impose 100 percent tariffs on the top five importers of Russian energy and those who enable Russian sanctions evasion. The bill also targets Russian officials, oligarchs, their family members and Russian banks and financial institutions to apply additional financial pressure to help end the war.

The Senate-passed Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act takes a key step towards peace with a formidable recipe of sanctions and tariffs to leverage an end to the war that has killed hundreds of thousands of soldiers and tens of thousands of innocent civilians. As an original co-sponsor, I'll continue pushing to get this bill to the president's desk. History reminds us why Putin's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine cannot be ignored. Protecting America's national security and upholding sovereignty in Europe requires a resolute commitment to stop Putin's effort to resurrect the Soviet empire. I'll continue leading bipartisan efforts in the Senate to hold Russia accountable and put the brakes on Putin's violent scheme to trample freedom, persecute Christians and usurp sovereign territory through war and aggression. From the 2008 invasion of Georgia to the 2014 annexation of Crimea and now the full-scale, four-year war in Ukraine, Putin's diabolical obsession requires solidarity from the international community to nip it in the bud before more lives and territory are lost.

Q: What is the status of your efforts to return kidnapped Ukrainian children?

A: One of the horrific crimes orchestrated by Putin's authoritarian regime is the calculated abduction of tens of thousands of innocent Ukrainian children to Russify them and wipe out their cultural identity, language and heritage. Since 2022, the Russian invasion has exposed young Ukrainians to human trafficking, exploitation, child labor, sexual violence, hunger, injury, trauma and death. I'm leading a bipartisan coalition of senators to raise public awareness and keep the pressure up to return these children before a peace agreement is finalized to end the war. I've called upon Secretary of State Marco Rubio to support efforts to investigate Russia's abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children to help facilitate their safe return home. The more time goes by, the harder it will be to find and identify these kids stolen from their homeland. According to a report issued by Yale University, abducted Ukrainian children are undergoing "re-education" programs to wipe out their identities. These kids are subjected to military-style training, including weapons assembly and drone operation. Along with Sen. Amy Klobuchar, I introduced the Abducted Ukrainian Children and Recovery and Accountability Act to boost investigative efforts to find the abducted children; provide social, psychological and educational support for returned children; and hold criminals accountable for the mass abduction and deportation of kids in Ukraine, as well as illegal adoptions. President Trump signed our bill in December and work is underway to implement the law. Keeping this issue on the front burner during peace talks is essential to keep hope alive for these children and their families. I applaud First Lady Melania Trump for her leadership to broker dozens of reunifications so far. She's helped answer the prayers of anguished parents and I'm committed to holding Russia accountable and helping ensure the return of tens of thousands of Ukrainian children from the Kremlin's clutches.

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