Oklahoma Senators Denounce Russian Invasion, Call For Defensive Aid To Ukraine

TULSA, Oklahoma – 

Oklahoma Senators Jim Inhofe and James Lankford have issued statements about the Russian attack on Ukraine.

Senator Jim Inhofe denounced Putin’s “shameful breach of international protocol” and called upon the Biden administration to provide additional defensive aid to Ukraine.

“My prayers are with the brave men, women, and children of Ukraine, who are suffering an unprecedented, unwarranted and unprovoked attack ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin. For months, we’ve seen this coming but Putin’s massive, shameful breach of international protocol is shocking and devastating nonetheless. While I am continuing to monitor the situation as events unfold, I believe it is in our country’s best interest to respond strongly by providing additional defensive aid to continue to help our Ukrainian friends defend themselves and by sending additional resources to our troops in Eastern Europe who are working alongside our NATO allies to deter this aggression from spreading further; and by imposing the most severe economic costs on Putin and his inner circle for this grave misstep. To be clear: Putin’s ambitions won’t stop with Ukraine unless America and our allies stop Putin. After Putin invaded Crimea in 2014, it became clear that the Obama-Biden administration’s tepid response was ineffectual at deterring Russian aggression. Since then, I have supported the Senate Armed Services Committee-led effort to bolster Ukraine’s ability to defend itself through what is now the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative. I now call upon the Biden administration and my colleagues to work together quickly to deter Putin from continuing down this path, to continue military support to Ukraine under these new dire circumstances, and to further bolster European security in the face of what will amount to the biggest threat to democracy since the Soviet Union fell.”

Senator James Lankford echoed Inhofe’s statements saying that America must respond with quick and crippling sanctions. Lankford also said that the U.S. must produce more energy to replace Russian oil and gas.

“Cindy and I pray for the people of Ukraine. Today they face the unfathomable: an unprovoked attack on their families, homes, and communities—simply for who they are and what they stand for: a free people living in a free country living next door to a murderous dictator.

“America and our allies must respond quickly and decisively with crippling sanctions on Putin, Russia, and anyone who seeks to aid their actions. We will absolutely impose trade restrictions and enforce sanctions on countries who continue to work with Russia.

“Europe is dependent on Russian oil and natural gas. Sanctions on Russian energy are meaningless unless the world responds by producing more energy to replace Russian oil and gas. During this moment of crisis, the United States should work to dramatically ramp up energy production to strengthen our allies and to cut off the flow of money into Putin’s war machine. Every dollar paid for Russian energy is a dollar they will use to murder their Ukrainian neighbors. America must lead the world by increasing our production of energy to decrease reliance on Russian exports. Russia’s economy is heavily dependent on energy sales, we should make sure that immediately dries up.”