Shaheen Statement on President Trump’s Decision to Backtrack on Previously Announced Russian Sanctions

SHAHEEN: “Russia is aiding and abetting a mass murderer, and there should be consequences”

(Washington, DC)—U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) issued the following statement in response to the President’s decision to halt efforts that would impose new sanctions on Russia, which was announced by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Sunday:

“Russia is aiding and abetting a mass murderer, and there should be consequences,” said Shaheen. “There shouldn’t be any hesitation to apply new sanctions, which are necessary to send a message to the Kremlin that their reckless support for Assad’s brutality will not be tolerated. The United States must consistently demonstrate to Vladimir Putin that violations of international norms will be met with swift and harsh retaliation.”

Senator Shaheen led an effort to urge Senate leadership to act on Russian sanctions legislation and was a key negotiator on the initial version of this legislation that passed the Senate in June. Senator Shaheen was recently blacklisted by the Russian government, in part, because of her strong support for Russian sanctions. She has been an outspoken critic of President Putin’s authoritarian regime and was the first in Congress to call for hearings on Russian interference in the 2016 elections.