Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, today announced his support for providing defensive lethal aid to Ukraine, in light of the country’s ongoing struggle to defend its eastern territory against Russian aggression. Larsen is cosponsoring H.R. 955, which would authorize the U.S. to provide defensive weapons and assistance to military forces in Ukraine.

He will emphasize his support for Ukraine at a House Armed Services Committee hearing today with General Philip Breedlove, Commander of the Supreme Allied Command Europe and the U.S. European Command.

“As a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, I am closely following Russia’s ongoing violations of Ukrainian sovereignty. I recently talked with the Ukrainian-American community in my district to get their advice and guidance about the ongoing conflict, and I share their serious concern for the lack of stability in Ukraine resulting from Russia’s military action. I also traveled to Ukraine in December and saw firsthand the challenges the Ukrainian people face in defending their democracy.

“When Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko spoke to Congress last fall, he sent an important message to Russia: In Ukraine, you don’t build a democracy – it already exists. You just defend it. The U.S. can and should help Ukraine accomplish this goal.

“It is long past time for Russia to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity, support its unity, and recognize the legitimacy of its government. While I continue to support sanctions and the economic strain they are putting on the Russian government, I also support providing Ukraine with military means to defend itself as another way to pressure Russia to end its aggression,” Larsen said.

Larsen also voted in the last Congress for H.R. 4278, the Ukraine Support Act, which indicated U.S. support for Ukraine’s sovereignty while denouncing Russia’s invasion and seizing of Crimea.

Washington state’s second Congressional district ranks 16th among all 435 Congressional districts with regard to the number of people of Ukrainian ancestry, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

H.R. 955 authorizes $1 billion in assistance to Ukraine, which includes lethal defensive weapons, as well as training, equipment, logistics and supplies. The bill places a hold on 90 percent of this funding until the Secretary of Defense submits a report on the plan to provide this assistance.

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