Kansas' U.S. senators back Russia sanctions, diverge on assessing blame for Ukraine invasion

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, center, and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran shared support for sanctions against Russia for a military incursion into Ukraine, but took a different approach to assigning responsibility for the situation. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of U.S. Senate video feed)

TOPEKA — The Republican U.S. senators from Kansas diverged in assessment Tuesday of responsibility for the Russian military's expansion into Ukraine despite warnings from NATO countries of economic sanctions against Russia for violations of international law.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, who has represented Kansas in the House or Senate since 1997, said Russia's infusion of troops into eastern Ukraine was an "avoidable tragedy for which Vladimir Putin is solely responsible."

He said President Joe Biden and NATO allies should impose punishing sanctions on Russia's vital economic sectors and deliver humanitarian support to Ukrainian victims of Moscow's aggression. It is important NATO allies remain unified against the threat posed by the Russian president, he said.

"I am grateful for our military servicemembers stationed in Europe — and those who have recently deployed there — for demonstrating to our NATO allies in Europe and around the world that the United States can be relied upon," Moran said.

Biden ordered sanctions on two large state-owned Russian financial institutions providing key financing services to the Kremlin and the Russian military, on U.S. individuals and firms participating in second markets for Russian debt and on five Russian elites and their family members.

U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall also characterized Russia's move as an invasion of Ukraine, but expressed concern "missteps, weakness and inaction by the Biden administration sent the Kremlin a clear signal that the U.S. will continue to lead from behind and not seriously act to deter Russia."

Marshall, who has represented Kansas in Washington, D.C., since 2017, pointed to a previous decision by Biden and Senate Democrats to reject Republican attempts to impose sanctions on Russia related to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project to carry natural gas for export from Russia.

Germany responded to Russia by halting certification of Nord Stream 2, which is the 750-mile pipeline completed in 2021 and awaiting final approval from German regulators. Certification is required to begin flow of natural gas in the Baltic Sea pipeline from Russia to Germany.

"Now that Russian troops are openly taking over parts of Ukraine," Marshall said, "this White House will now try to play catch up. At this point there is no other option but for President Biden to join in our efforts to exert maximum pressure on Russia through major sanctions and a military aid package."

Marshall joined other lawmakers to endorse the "Never Yielding Europe's Territory," or NYET Act, to help Ukraine defend itself from Russian aggression. NYET would stop Nord Stream 2 and impose sanctions on Russian banks and Russian businesses that continued to do business with those banks. It also would sanction Putin's "cronies, enablers and major banks before Russia further invades Ukraine to ensure Putin pays a price now for hybrid attacks already launched."

On Monday, Putin recognized independence of two Moscow-backed separatist regions in eastern Ukraine. He instructed Russian forces to serve a "peacekeeping" role in those regions. About 190,000 Russian personnel massed around Ukraine's border as Putin denounced Ukraine as a puppet state of Western powers.

by Tim Carpenter, Kansas Reflector February 22, 2022

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Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International.