Sullivan Statement on Russian Invasion of Ukraine and Its Broader Implications

Statement

U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) today issued the following statement on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"We need to fully understand the broader implications of this invasion of Ukraine. We have entered a new era of authoritarian aggression, led by Russia and China's dictators, who are increasingly isolated and dangerous, driven by historical grievances, paranoid about their democratic neighbors, and willing to use military force and other aggressive actions to crush the citizens of such countries. These dangerous dictators--Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping--are increasingly working together to achieve their aggressive goals.

"We must wake up to the fact that this new era of authoritarian aggression will likely be with us for decades. We need to face it with strategic resolve and confidence. The United States has extraordinary advantages relative to the dictatorships of Russia and China, if we are wise enough to utilize and strengthen them: our global network of allies, our lethal military, our world-class supplies of energy and other natural resources, our dynamic economy, and most important, our democratic values and commitment to liberty. Xi and Putin's biggest weakness and vulnerability is that they fear their own people. We should remember and exploit this in the months and years ahead."

Senator Sullivan is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, a Colonel in the United States Marine Corps Reserve where he serves in the Marine Corps Pacific Command, and Chairman of the International Republican Institute. Sullivan has spent the last week meeting with key allies in Munich, Brussels and London.

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