Congressional Ukrainian Caucus Co-Chairman Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.) called on Wednesday for stronger sanctions and more international pressure on Russia after it allegedly seized Ukraine’s naval headquarters in Crimea.
Russian troops allegedly stormed the naval headquarters in the Crimean port of Sevastopol and forced Ukrainian forces to abandon their posts, according to reports.
“The United States and our allies need to significantly ratchet up our pressure on Russia or risk having President Putin march his troops deeper into Ukraine and continue destabilizing the country,” Gerlach said. “President Putin appears emboldened to use Russia’s military to rebuild the Soviet empire and that poses a serious risk to the security of the United States and our allies.”
On Tuesday, a Ukrainian officer was killed in an alleged confrontation in Simferopol.
“President Obama’s decision to freeze assets of high-ranking Russia officials and Crimean separatist leaders and ban their travel to the U.S. was an appropriate step, but it is only one step,” Gerlach said. “I would encourage President Obama to immediately expedite exports of U.S. natural gas to Ukraine and the European Union so that our allies are no longer at the mercy of Putin. I stand ready to work with my colleagues in Congress and the administration to respond to Putin’s aggression with hard-hitting economic sanctions, more intense diplomatic pressure and measures that allow the government of Ukraine and other nations in the region to defend themselves against Russia.”
Gerlach also called for Russia’s expulsion from the G-8, accelerated consideration of Georgia and Ukraine’s admittance into NATO and renewed discussions between the United States and NATO about anti-missile defense systems in Poland and the Czech Republic.
In addition, Gerlach asked that the International Monetary Fund form an emergency “rescue plan” for Ukraine, suspension of all non-humanitarian assistance to Russia and revocation of travel visa for all Russian citizens to the United States and European Union countries.