Bipartisan calls for swift sanctions to thwart Russian aggression in Ukraine

Senators on both sides of the aisle called Tuesday for swift action on sanctions to deter Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Concerns over an armed conflict grew after Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday recognized two occupied regions in Ukraine, the Luhansk People’s Republic and Donetsk People’s Republic, as independent from Ukraine, and he ordered what Russia called “peacekeeping” troops into those regions. Russian troops have been in the area since 2014, but the increase appears to mark the first steps of an invasion.