Portman Joins Task Force on U.S. Policy Toward Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia

Press Release

U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio), co-chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today announced that he has joined a task force on U.S. policy toward Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia. The task force, co-chaired by former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage and Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, was established through the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. The task force aims to increase understanding of Russia's foreign policy and its implications for regional order in Europe and Eurasia. It will produce a report recommending general principles for transatlantic policy toward the region.

"As Russian aggression continues to destabilize Eastern Europe and Eurasia, threatening Ukraine and NATO and non-NATO allies alike, it's time to restore U.S. leadership and develop a comprehensive and proactive strategy toward the region that supports NATO and regional allies and demonstrates long-term American commitment to their success in the face of Russian aggression," Portman stated. "I'm pleased to join this task force so we can advance this conversation."

"We can't afford to neglect or underestimate the long-term challenge posed by Russia," said Ambassador William J. Burns, president of Carnegie. "American interests demand a better understanding of the pressures facing the post-Cold War order in Europe and Eurasia and a more rigorous assessment of the policy options before us."

"What's missing from the discussion about Russia, Ukraine and the broader region today is analysis that looks beyond the frantic daily news cycle," said Ambassador Ivo H. Daalder, president of the Council on Global Affairs. "It's also clear that challenges facing Europe and Eurasia can only be confronted effectively through the combined efforts of multiple stakeholders, from governments around the globe to multinational businesses to experts in diplomacy and security. The task force reflects that dynamic."

Specifically, the task force will:

Identify U.S. and Western interests in this complex and diverse region.

Assess the strengths and weaknesses of U.S. and Western policy toward Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia since the end of the Cold War.

Prepare an analytically rigorous assessment of U.S. and Western policy challenges in the wake of the Ukraine crisis and the rise of a more assertive, unpredictable Russia under President Putin.

Offer a set of guiding principles for a durable U.S. policy framework while sustaining and promoting transatlantic unity.

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