CHARLESTON — Members of West Virginia’s congressional delegation responded to the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine Thursday morning.
According to the Associated Press, Russian armed forces entered its western neighbor in the early hours of Thursday morning, attacking from three sides. Many residents awakened to the sounds of missiles and bombs and the rumbling of military vehicles.
Russian President Vladimir Putin justified his invasion in an address, saying it was needed to protect Russia from aggressive actions in areas of Ukraine occupied already by Russian-backed separatists. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared martial law, urging those who cannot fight to remain calm and evacuate, and urging those who can fight to pick up a weapon.
The U.S. along with European Union and NATO allies were preparing various economic sanctions against Russia. President Joe Biden said he was meeting with his European counterparts to coordinate sanctions. Biden also spoke with Zelenskyy and reiterated U.S. support for Ukraine.
“I condemned this unprovoked and unjustified attack by Russian military forces,” Biden said. “He asked me to call on the leaders of the world to speak out clearly against President Putin’s flagrant aggression, and to stand with the people of Ukraine … We will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.”
U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., released a statement condemning the invasion of Ukraine Thursday. Manchin called for harsh sanctions against Russia.
“Russia’s invasion is a blatant act of war against Ukraine. This is an unacceptable attack and puts our allies in the region at risk,” Manchin said. “Protecting the rights and stability of self-determining nations around the world is a long-held American priority and cannot be forgotten … The United States will not tolerate this reprehensible behavior, and there will and must be consequences. Vladimir Putin has shown us who he is and we cannot try to appease him or sacrifice our national security and that of our allies.”
Speaking by phone Thursday, Manchin – a member of the U.S. Senate Armed services Committee — said he had long been concerned about the geopolitical turmoil such an invasion could cause.
“That geopolitical unrest we were concerned about and that we needed to take care of is now in full-fledged war on Ukraine which could spread all over Europe and pull us unto it because we’re trying to honor and stand beside our NATO allies that we’ll defend and support,” Manchin said.
Manchin said the Ukraine turmoil should be a sign to Biden and Congress that the U.S. needs to support domestic production of oil and natural gas as Europe becomes less dependent on Russian natural gas and more dependent on U.S. liquefied natural gas exports.
“Make no mistake about it: Putin has weaponized energy. He is using his natural gas reserves and coal reserves as a weapon to use and punish people who do not submit to what he wants,” Manchin said. “The United States of America must do everything it can to put its faith in the independence of energy that we have in our country. We can supply our country, but not only supply the United States of America but be a buffer for the rest of our allies in the rest of the world.”
Last week, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution unanimously to support Ukraine against Russian aggression. U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., is one of the resolution’s original co-sponsors. Capito was also a so-sponsor of the Never Yielding Europe’s Act (NYET) that would provide foreign aid and defense spending for Ukraine while penalizing Russia.
“First and foremost, I am concerned for the free people of Ukraine, and it is critical that we stand with them and support them during this time,” Capito said in a statement Thursday. “The free world must never accept when a country invades another sovereign nation. Make no mistake: Despite Vladimir Putin’s misleading words, this is an invasion, and his actions will undoubtedly harm innocent people.”
First District Congressman David McKinley and 3rd District Congresswoman Carol Miller, both R-W.Va., also released statements condemning the invasion.
“Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is a reckless act of aggression,” McKinley said on Twitter. “We stand with the innocent people of Ukraine, urging their resolve and strength against this evil. The U.S. and our allies must meet Russia’s deliberate acts of war with serious consequences and harsh sanctions that deter other rogue nations from following suit.”
“The United States stands united behind Ukraine in their fight for freedom and democracy, and against evil and terror,” Miller said. “Vladimir Putin will be held accountable. May God be with the Ukrainian people. I am fully supportive of the strongest possible sanctions against Russia, including freezing the assets of Vladimir Putin and every Russian oligarch, and immediately distributing that money to the people of Ukraine.”
Second District Congressman Alex Mooney, R-W.Va., took a slightly different position, signing onto a letter along with 42 members of the House of Representatives to President Biden Tuesday asking him to seek approval from Congress before stationing U.S. armed forces in the Ukraine. There are no plans to do this, though Biden has sent additional forces to NATO allies bordering Ukraine.
“As you evaluate your possible course of action … we write to reassert the war powers vested in Congress under the U.S. Constitution and the War Powers Resolution of 1973,” the letter stated. “… If the ongoing situation compels you to introduce the brave men and women of our military into Ukraine … we ask that your decisions comport with the Constitution and our nation’s laws by consulting with Congress to receive authorization before any such deployment.”