U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today pushed back on a decision by the U.S. State Department to lift sanctions against the Russian Federation involving the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as new diplomatic talks are set to open between Washington and Moscow.
“Now is no moment to lift congressionally mandated sanctions aimed against Vladimir Putin’s government and influence operations,” said Rep. Pascrell, a leading congressional critic of Moscow. “As we speak, Russian troop formations remain amassed against the Ukraine border. Putin’s mafia state threatens our allies and imperils world peace. We must advance policies that show support for Kyiv and check Russian aggression in Europe. The administration should reconsider this decision.”
Rep. Pascrell has long been a vocal opponent of Vladimir Putin’s violations of peace and stability in Ukraine. After Russian troops first violated Ukraine’s sovereignty in March 2014, Pascrell called for Russia’s removal as a member of the G-8 and demanded immediate withdrawal of all Russian forces. He has also taken several steps to ensure U.S. support for our Ukrainian allies in the face of Russian aggression led by Putin. Pascrell has maintained a close relationship with the large Ukrainian-American communities in northern New Jersey, and attends the annual Ukrainian flag-raising ceremony in Clifton.
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