Congressman Donald Norcross (D-NJ-01), chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee, today released the following statement after the Russian military invaded Ukraine.

“I strongly condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Vladimir Putin bears sole responsibility for this escalation in hostilities. Despite months of multilateral negotiations and engagement of many of our European allies and partners, Putin has decided to send troops into a sovereign nation.

“As I’ve engaged on this issue, one thing has remained constant – Putin and the Russian government are no friends of democracy and have no regard for international law. President Biden has repeatedly warned that the U.S. response to Russian aggression will be swift and severe. While I believe we must exhaust all diplomatic options before resorting to harsher measures, it is clear Putin is not interested in diplomacy. Therefore, I am calling for crippling economic sanctions to be placed on Putin, his inner circle, their families, and the corporations and financial institutions they rely on for economic and military muscle. Putin and his cronies in the Kremlin must be held accountable for their actions.

“Putin’s actions are the culmination of a sustained effort to sow division in America and Europe and cause cracks in our strongest alliances. We now must stand united and project strength in our resolve to face down the most serious threat to peace in Europe since World War II.”