Ernst Meets with Former Members of Ukrainian Parliament, Discusses Need for Additional U.S. Support to Defeat Putin

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a combat veteran and member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, met today with former members of the Parliament of Ukraine to discuss Putin’s ongoing invasion of the country and the need for additional aid from the United States and our NATO allies. 

Sen. Ernst meets with Yaroslav Yurchyshyn, Halyna Vasylchenko, and Andrii Zhupanyn.

“Putin’s unprovoked, lawless war in Ukraine is causing untold misery as he continues to attack innocent men, women, and children; risk food and energy access for millions across the globe; and test our Western alliances and the entire world order,” said Ernst. “The former members of the Ukrainian Parliament I met with today echoed the sentiments of the many Ukrainians I’ve met with in recent weeks—they are appreciative of the aid the United States has provided thus far, but they need more help, and they need it now. I’ll continue pushing the Biden administration to take more immediate, decisive action to help Ukraine win this war and punish Putin.”

Background:

Even before Putin’s invasion, Ernst has been outspoken about the need to support Ukraine. She recently led a bipartisan Senate delegation visit to Poland and Germany, where she visited a refugee processing center near the Ukrainian-Polish border and met with members of Ukrainian civil society. Following the visit, she led a bipartisan group of senators requesting answers from the Biden administration on the speed, specifics, and supply of lethal aid provided to Ukraine. She also spearheaded a bipartisan effort to suspend Russia from key international organizations and to deter international investment in the country.

Ernst, along with fellow member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, U.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), hosted members of Ukrainian civil society for a discussion about Russia’s war in Ukraine and what it means for global food security and agriculture.

Earlier this week, Ernst penned an op-ed in FoxNews.com entitled, “Ukraine must win the war Putin is waging and Biden needs to step up.”

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