Senator McCain says U.S. stands with Ukraine against Russia

[FormerOstrich]

Source: Reuters/MSN

KIEV — Republican U.S. Senator John McCain promised on Saturday continued support for Kiev in the face of aggression from Moscow, as he spent New Year's Eve on the front line in Ukraine's eastern conflict zone.

McCain was one of a bipartisan group of 27 U.S. senators who sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump in December, urging him to take a tough line against Russia over what they termed its "military land grab" in Ukraine.

"I send the message from the American people - we are with you, your fight is our fight and we will win together," McCain was quoted as saying by Ukrainian President Poroshenko's press service.

"In 2017 we will defeat the invaders and send them back where they came from. To Vladimir Putin - you will never defeat the Ukrainian people and deprive them of their independence and freedom," McCain said after a visit to a military base in the southeastern town of Shyrokyne.

Trump signaled during his campaign that he might take a softer line in dealings with Moscow, repeatedly praising Russian President Putin's leadership.

Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/senator-mccain-says-us-stands-with-ukraine-against-russia/ar-BBxLFtK

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I didn't know McCain was in Ukraine. I am thinking he is pissing Trump off mighty bigly huge.

[OldYallow]

1. Not the deplorables john.

Sorry.

[oberliner]

2. Bold move

Spending NYE with Ukrainian military.

[FormerOstrich]

6. I think so, too.

Apparently he has been visiting the Baltic States. I'm not a fan of McCain but he has my respect on these actions. I can't believe he isn't getting more coverage.

Plus, apparently I missed this:

McCain was one of a bipartisan group of 27 U.S. senators who sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump in December, urging him to take a tough line against Russia over what they termed its "military land grab" in Ukraine.

I need to find out who those 27 are. It needs more press!

[oberliner]

8. Here is the full text of the letter with the names of the 27 who signed it

Full text of the senators’ letter:

December 8, 2016

President-elect Donald J. Trump

Trump-Pence Transition Team

1717 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20006

Dear President-elect Trump,

As Members and friends of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, advocates for a strong US-Ukrainian relationship, and backers of NATO, we write to convey strong, bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States Senate. We look forward to working with you and your new administration to support our ally Ukraine and help it secure a peaceful and democratic future.

Almost three years after Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and military aggression in eastern Ukraine, daily ceasefire violations along the line of contact make a mockery of the Minsk Agreement and demonstrate that this conflict in the heart of Europe is far from over. Russia has yet to withdraw its heavy weapons and continues its sabotage and subversion efforts. It has not halted its disinformation war against Ukraine and the West, nor stopped its economic and political pressure aimed at undermining the Ukrainian government. According to conservative estimates from the United Nations, approximately 10,000 people have been killed, over 20,000 wounded, and more than two million internally displaced since the conflict began. And, unfortunately, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) observers still do not have full, unimpeded access to the Ukrainian-Russian border while Russia continues to supply weapons, equipment, and personnel to the separatists.

Quite simply, Russia has launched a military land-grab in Ukraine that is unprecedented in modern European history. These actions in Crimea and other areas of eastern Ukraine dangerously upend well-established diplomatic, legal, and security norms that the United States and its NATO allies painstakingly built over decades – a historically bipartisan global security framework that has greatly served US security and economic interests. We believe it is in our vital national security interest to uphold these norms and values, and prevent America’s commitment to its allies and ideals from being called into question.

In light of Russia’s continued aggression and repeated refusal to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereign right to choose its own destiny, we also renew our call for the United States to increase political, economic, and military support for Ukraine. This includes defensive lethal assistance as part of a broader effort to help Ukrainians better defend themselves, deter future aggression, and implement key structural reforms. Similarly, we believe that Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea should never be accepted, nor should we lift sanctions imposed on Russia for its behavior in eastern Ukraine until key provisions of the Minsk Agreement are met. Accordingly, US leadership on maintaining such transatlantic sanctions should remain a priority.

We look forward to continuing the tradition of bipartisan support for Ukraine in Congress, which has authorized meaningful assistance programs through the Ukraine Freedom Support Act, the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, and other pieces of legislation. We stand ready to work with you and your new administration on strengthening the US-Ukrainian relationship and look forward to learning more about your plans to engage on this important issue.

Sincerely,

RICHARD J. DURBIN

United States Senator

ROB PORTMAN

United States Senator

JOHN MCCAIN

United States Senator

JEANNE SHAHEEN

United States Senator

MARCO RUBIO

United States Senator

SHERROD BROWN

United States Senator

RON JOHNSON

United States Senator

CHRISTOPHER S. MURPHY

United States Senator

CORY GARDNER

United States Senator

RICHARD BLUMENTHAL

United States Senator

PAT ROBERTS

United States Senator

JACK REED

United States Senator

CHRISTOPHER A. COONS

United States Senator

JOHN BARRASSO

United States Senator

BENJAMIN L. CARDIN

United States Senator

LINDSEY GRAHAM

United States Senator

ROBERT P. CASEY JR.

United States Senator

JOHN BOOZMAN

United States Senator

GARY C. PETERS

United States Senator

JIM RISCH

United States Senator

JEFF MERKLEY

United States Senator

JOHNNY ISAKSON

United States Senator

KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND

United States Senator

JAMES INHOFE

United States Senator

AMY KLOBUCHAR

United States Senator

SHELDON WHITEHOUSE

United States Senator

ROBERT MENENDEZ

United States Senator

[orangecrush]

13. I'll be damned

Looks like not everyone in the Senate is lining up to kiss Putins ass.

Will wonders never cease?

[FormerOstrich]

21. Thank you very much!

I appreciate you posting this for me. I wish there were even more signatures on the letter....but it's a good thing nonetheless!

[oberliner]

28. No problem

It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out in the coming months and years.

[karynnj]

23. 6 Republicans are on the SFRC, which must confirm the SoS

Risch, Gardner, Johnson, Rubio, Barrasso, and Isakson. Several of the Democrats are on that committee too, but that these Republicans are signing it may mean there will be questions on ties to Russia. Flake and Corker are on the committee as well - and they have pushed back occasionally.

[Cha]

3. Wow.. sounds like mccain is doing everything he

can to buck trumputin.

[cstanleytech]

5. I wouldnt want to change that kids diaper. nt

[Cha]

9. lol... got that right! Ewwwww and it never ends.

[Salviati]

14. Worst baby ever.... crap comes out of both ends!

[obliviously]

4. McCain is an attention whore

He only speaks for himself, why can't we beat that bastard, it was no problem in the presidential election.
I'm tired of looking at the wrinkled old hamster looking bastard.

[FormerOstrich]

7. You disagree with his position?

You think he is wrong? What does his looks have to do with it?

[obliviously]

11. He is a senile old fool

His position is whatever he thinks is popular, did you learn nothing from the 2008 election? I question anything this man says simply because he is saying it.

[BeyondGeography]

16. He's going up against his own party's incoming President and the RWNJ media machine

so this isn't for fun. Maybe think again, or for the first time?

[nancy1942]

10. What on earth brought that on?

I say more power to those who have a conscience to speak up for what's right.
I could care less what he looks like;what is going on now transcends a person's appearance. Put this in perspective.

[obliviously]

12. Who did you vote for in 08'?

[JI7]

18. this isn't about the 2008 election

[ExtraGriz]

27. Same question to you...

Who did you vote for in 2016?

[JI7]

17. BS, he can be annoying but he is a known hawk and this position is nothing new

he has been consistent in his positions.

he defended obama against bigots but goes after him on not being tough enough.

[karynnj]

25. Obviously the answer is he won Arizona both times.

2008 was going to be an impossible year to win with Bush at around 30 approval. It was even more a change election than 2016. McCain would likely have won 2000 if he had won that nomination.

[larwdem]

15. were are the DEM senators

The fucking dem senators can stand in front of a camera too. Were the fuck are they ?

[xor]

19. Expected statement from the Trump Team: Ukraine isn't a real country. It has no culture or history

Ukraine is a fake country full of squatters on Russian land. Ukraine is historically part of Russia. Blah blah blah


You know, the stuff we probably all read/heard at least a few times from the Russian troll army.

[CentralMass]

20. I'm impressed.

[Vinca]

22. He's obviously not talked to the Fuhrer.

[Achilleaze]

24. Sorry, Senator, Comrade Casino & the Evil Empire RusskiRepublicans have sold America & Ukraine out

Integrity is just not a RusskiRepublican thingy.

[doc03]

26. Hey John you better ask Comrade Trump about that nt

[lark]

29. He also said that Crimea went to Russia voluntarily.

He said there was no Russian aggression. In other words, he lies about everything to create personal advantages for himself. You know he is absolutely screaming about this behind closed doors. Surprised he hasn't sent out an attack tweet about McCain.

[FormerOstrich]

30. Yes, I am surprised there

hasn't been a tweet. Maybe the trip has been so low key he doesn't know yet.