Democratic and Republican lawmakers unite in their condemnation of Putin and ask Biden for more sanctions

By Scott

In a show of unity, Republican and Democratic lawmakers quickly condemned Russia's military attack on Ukraine and vowed to inflict economic damage on President Vladimir Putin by imposing a torrent of new sanctions.

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee, said she wants Russia excluded from the SWIFT international banking system, a network that connects more than 11,000 financial institutions around the world.

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Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, called on international law enforcement to target Putin and his allies by seizing their "luxurious apartments, artwork, yachts" and other items. 

And Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, said the United States must continue to send financial support and arms to Ukraine while defending itself against Russia. 

"Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a premeditated and flagrant act of war," lamented Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, the top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee.

"These are not the actions of a proud nation and people, but of a desperate man whose only desire is to sow chaos in order to appear strong," he added.

On video: The first images of explosions after the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Feb. 24, 202201:00

His Democratic counterpart, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Menendez of New Jersey, said Putin's "unprovoked attack" has underscored the need to blacklist the Russian president and "push out the current leaders of the Kremlin of the international community".

“Today must mark a historic change in the way the world sees and treats the despot of Moscow,” Menéndez said.

[“The World Will Hold Russia To Account For This Attack”: World Leaders Condemn Ukraine Invasion]

The barrage of statements and tweets from Capitol Hill came moments after Putin declared Thursday local time in a nationally televised speech that Russia was launching a military operation to support the "demilitarization and denazification" of eastern Ukraine.

Explosions were heard in cities across the country, including the capital Kiev, where emergency sirens sounded.

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For the most part, Democrats and Republicans were bipartisan, pushing Biden to go further on Russia sanctions but reserving their fury for Putin.

"Following news of Putin's new invasion of Ukraine with enormous concern and anger," tweeted Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a fierce critic of Biden.

“The United States will stand with our Ukrainian allies, continue to provide them with weapons to defend themselves, and work to counter Putin and hold those responsible for this aggression to account,” he added.

And top Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs, Armed Services and Intelligence committees also took direct aim at Putin.

“The last few hours have laid bare for the world to witness the true evil that Vladimir Putin is,” said Mike McCaul, R-Texas, Mike Rogers, R-Alabama, and Mike Turner, R-Ohio, in a joint statement.

"Every drop of Ukrainian and Russian blood spilled in this conflict is in Putin's hands, and his alone," they added.

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However, there were a handful of Republicans who placed the blame for the Russian attack at Biden's feet.

“Joe Biden has shown nothing but weakness and indecisiveness,” said Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Min., considered a possible 2024 presidential candidate. “Now is the time to show purpose.

Punish Russia's energy sector - the engine of its economy - to its knees and reopen American energy production at full throttle," he said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, joined at left by Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat, delivers a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022.J.

Scott Applewhite/AP

In a statement, Biden lamented that Putin had "chosen a premeditated war" and vowed to unilaterally impose another round of crippling sanctions on Russia on Thursday, just two days after targeting Putin with an initial tranche of sanctions.

But any congressional action on sanctions will have to wait until at least next week, when House and Senate lawmakers return from their President's Day recess. 

[Thousands of Ukrainians leave the Ukrainian capital after the Russian advance]

Meanwhile, senior Biden Administration officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, are scheduled to hold an unclassified phone briefing for senators on Thursday about developments in Ukraine. 

A separate briefing for House lawmakers will follow.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other top Democratic officials have compared Putin's military foray to Adolf Hitler's military advance during World War II, the last time there was a major war in Europe. 

“This is a momentous and tragic day in which we once again see a dictator in Europe attempt to remap the continent using his military might,” said House Speaker Adam Schiff, a Democrat, on The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell from MSNBC, sister network of Noticias Telemundo.