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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy Thursday slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin as “evil” over his war on Ukraine, and called for him to face massive backlash for the invasion.
“Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is reckless and evil. The United States stands with the people of Ukraine and prays for their safety and resolve,” McCarthy, R-Calif., said. “Putin’s actions must be met with serious consequence. This act of war is intended to rewrite history and more concerning, upend the balance of power in Europe. Putin must be held accountable for his actions.”
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Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine from multiple fronts Wednesday evening U.S. time. Putin declared a “special military operation” in the country in a pre-recorded video from earlier this week that was broadcast early Thursday morning Russian time.
Air raid sirens and explosions could be heard in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital, throughout Thursday. Massive plumes of smoke were also visible in the area.
McCarthy’s comment is one of many similar statements from members of Congress about the Russia-Ukraine war. But he was the first party leader in Congress to release a statement since Russia’s invasion began in earnest late Wednesday U.S. time.
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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., weighed in on the invasion shortly after McCarthy on Thursday.
“What we have in Europe now is the first shooting war since World War II. This is a serious serious incident,” McConnell said. He levied criticism against President Biden’s strategy so far on Russia before arguing that the U.S. and the West should deploy every available sanction against Russia immediately.
“We’re all together at this point and we need to be together about what should be done. But I have some advice. Ratchet the sanctions all the way up. Don’t hold any back. Every single available tough sanction should be employed and should be employed now,” McConnell said. “There’s no such thing as a little invasion.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., addressed the Ukraine invasion at a press conference about abortion in New York Thursday.
“The bottom line is simple. Vladimir Putin… has launched an unprovoked, immoral invasion of Ukraine,” Schumer said. “No one … should fall… for Putin’s lies that the Ukrainians wanted him to invade or that he was provoked to invade.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., slammed Putin as a “tyrant” in her press conference earlier Wednesday, after Russian troops first entered the Donbas region earlier this week but before they started the full attack on all of Ukraine.
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President Biden Wednesday condemned Russia’s war as “an unprovoked and unjustified attack” and promised to levy tough sanctions against Russia. Biden also said he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy early Thursday and said, “We will continue to provide support and assistance to Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.”
Biden is expected to deliver further remarks Thursday afternoon.
Fox News’ Trey Yingst and Peter Doocy contributed to this report.
Source: www.foxnews.com