(Washington, DC) – U.S. U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Chaire of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe, Regional Security Cooperation, presented a bipartisan resolution. Senators Jim Risch and Ben Cardin (D–MD) recognized Russia’s actions against Ukraine. These included forced deportations to Russia, and the deliberate killing of civilians in mass atrocities. They also acknowledged that these were acts of genocide against Ukrainians. U.S. also cosponsored the legislation. The legislation is also cosponsored by the U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, Richard Blumenthal (D–CT), Rob Portman and Lindsey Graham

“Vladimir Putin is leading a campaign to terrorize and violence in Ukraine, specifically targeting civilians. He also seeks to destroy the Ukrainian culture and its people. It is time for the United States to be clear about what it is, and for the international community to respond accordingly. These acts of genocide must be stopped immediately,” Shaheen said. “Our resolution sends out a strong message from the U.S. Senate. We will not look away from Ukraine. We will continue to work together to support our democratic partners and defend their rights. And to see Putin punished.

This is the resolution:

Russia is condemned for genocide committed against the Ukrainian people;
We call on the United States to join NATO and EU allies to support the government in Ukraine to stop further acts of Russian genocide of the Ukrainian people.
International criminal investigations and tribunals are supported to hold Russian politicians and military personnel responsible for war crimes, war crimes, crimes versus humanity, genocide, and war of aggression.

You can find the text of the resolution here.

As a senator from the Senate Ukraine Caucus and a member of the Senate, Shaheen led the Senate’s action to support Ukraine following Putin’s belligerence. The Senate approved bipartisan legislation, cosponsored by Shaheen, that would require the U.S. to coordinate its efforts to gather and preserve evidence of war crimes and other atrocities perpetrated by Russia during its invasion of Ukraine. Shaheen co-led legislation to accelerate military aid to Ukraine and Eastern European countries. Shaheen and Senator Rob Portman (R.OH) led a bipartisan effort to pass a resolution in February that sends a renewed, overwhelmingly bipartisan message by the U.S. Senate supporting Ukraine. Shaheen and Portman led an earlier bipartisan delegation to Ukraine. They met with President Zelenskyy, as well as members of his administration. Shaheen and Portman led a bipartisan delegation of lawmakers to Eastern Europe including Ukraine before the Shaheen/Portman congressional visit to Ukraine in Jan.

Shaheen is co-chair of Senate NATO Observer Group. Shaheen re-started the group with Senator Thom Tillis in 2018. Shaheen led action in Senate to support the transatlantic Alliance and to help boost the global response to Putin’s war in Ukraine.