Langhorne, PA—Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-08), co-chair of the Congressional Ukraine Caucus, released a statement condemning Russia for the seizure of three Ukrainian naval ships off the coast of Crimea after opening fire on them and wounding several sailors:

“Russia’s blatant violation of international law in the Sea of Azov and their provocative attack against Ukraine’s sovereignty are totally unacceptable. Russia must immediately restore the freedom of navigation through the Kerch Strait to allow Ukrainian vessels to freely use Ukrainian ports.

Russia’s continued, illegal occupation of Crimea, and their ongoing attempts to destabilize Eastern Europe, directly threaten our national security interests. We cannot ignore Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. I urge the President and the Administration to fully hold Vladimir Putin accountable at next week’s G-20 summit. We must stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the people of Ukraine.”

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