Mar. 2—WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Ron Kind said Tuesday that after traveling to London to coordinate economic sanctions against Russia and attending a classified briefing on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he believes Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t intend to back down his attacks on major Ukrainian cities.
“Hopefully Putin will see the folly in what he’s doing and stand down … that’s not our assessment right now,” Kind, D-La Crosse, said Tuesday at a video press conference in Washington, D.C. “We expect him to press forward, and unfortunately as he gets frustrated we anticipate much higher casualties, not just with the military but with the Ukrainian population at large.”
In the largest ground war in Europe since World War II, the death toll remains unclear. One senior Western intelligence official estimated that more than 5,000 Russian soldiers had been captured or killed. Ukraine gave no overall estimate of troop losses.
Kind said he attended a classified briefing Monday with members of Biden’s cabinet and chief U.S. security officials, and has been working in London to solidify economic sanctions on computers, microchips and micro-processing software.
“We’re trying to think of anything we can do to provide support and resources to the Ukrainian people right now as they do battle against Russia, short of starting World War III,” Kind said.
He cited the U.S.’ economic sanctions against Russia and Putin; the U.S.’ sending of military aid and weapons to Ukraine; and the U.S.’ assistance with efforts to help Ukrainian refugees.
“I’m convinced this is going to have a very real impact on Russia’s economy, especially Russia’s military capacity, but not overnight,” Kind said Tuesday.
The House Ways and Means Committee — a group, on which Kind serves, that has jurisdiction over trade and tariff laws — is trying to shape a measure that would remove Russia’s most-favored nation status in U.S. trade relations, Kind said.
It would “potentially kick them out of the World Trade Organization … we feel Russia’s membership in these institutions should be revoked until (Putin) stands down.”
The United States and European allies said last week they were stepping up sanctions over the Russian invasion by adding measures directly targeting Putin and his foreign minister, putting diplomatic appeals to one side as Russia’s forces closed on Ukraine’s capital.
The move by the U.S., the European Union and Britain sends “a clear message about the strength of the opposition to the actions” by Putin, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.
The U.S. and European allies announced sweeping asset freezes and other penalties Thursday against Russia’s banks, state-owned enterprises and elites, but they spared Russia’s leader and foreign minister in that round.
On Monday, the value of the Russian ruble plunged to a record low after Western countries moved to block some Russian banks from a key global payments system. Also Monday, the U.S. Treasury Department announced more sanctions against Russia’s central bank.
Other Wisconsin legislators have also expressed anger and concern over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat, on Monday sent a letter urging Biden’s administration to grant Ukrainians in the U.S. temporary protected status after the Russian invasion. The move would ensure Ukrainian citizens here would not be forced to return to Ukraine, the letter said; it was signed by a group of bipartisan U.S. legislators.
Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson last week tweeted that the U.S. “must support our NATO allies and freedom loving people in this moment of extreme peril.”
State Rep. Jodi Emerson, D-Eau Claire, called Putin’s attacks in Ukraine “appalling to watch.”
State Rep. Rob Summerfield, R-Bloomer, also expressed anger over the situation and said Tuesday he believes the country should have moved earlier to help Ukraine with additional political support and military aid: “Now it’s a situation where I’m hoping our response is stronger to help the people of Ukraine.”
“I appreciate seeing Americans united in their condemnation of these attacks and our country’s leaders remaining adamant in holding Russian leaders accountable,” said State Sen. Jeff Smith, D-town of Brunswick, in a statement Tuesday.
In his State of the Union address Tuesday evening, Biden was expected to speak in detail on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the U.S. response.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
