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Transcript/ScriptUS CONGRESS UKRAINE (TV)
HEADLINE: US Lawmakers Nearing Agreement on Russia Sanctions
TEASER: Bipartisan sanctions would impose harsh penalties for Ukraine invasion
PUBLISHED AT: Wednesday, 02/02/2022 at: 6pm
BYLINE: Katherine Gypson
PRODUCERS: Katherine Gypson,
DATELINE: Washington
VIDEOGRAPHER: Russian Service
SCRIPT EDITORS: AP, BR, DJones
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, AP
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:09
VID APPROVED BY: Jepsen
TYPE: TVPKG
UPDATE:
EDITORS NOTE: ))
[[Intro: U.S. lawmakers are nearing a deal on sanctions aimed at deterring Russian President Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine. Several lawmakers who recently returned from a trip to Kyiv told VOA’s Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson there is broad bipartisan unity on confronting Russia.]]
((Narrator))
Some 127,000 Russian troops now massed along Ukraine’s borders….
((Narrator))
…..as Russian President Vladimir Putin tells the world his demands — including a promise Ukraine will never join the NATO alliance — have not been met. U.S. lawmakers are now preparing a range of sanctions to deter conflict in Europe….
((Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Democrat))
“There is certainly no interest in escalating the situation into any military conflict. We are hoping this can be dealt with on a multilateral basis diplomatically. I think this is absolutely possible and I am hopeful that President Biden will be able to do that successfully.”
((Narrator))
Congressional Republicans have criticized the Biden administration for not moving quickly to deter Putin.
((Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader))
“Sanctions after the incursion are less effective than sanctions before, and I hope the administration will bear that in mind as they move forward. They have a lot of latitude on their own.”
((Narrator))
But in a rare show of unity on Capitol Hill, lawmakers from both parties are moving forward on bipartisan sanctions legislation that would severely impact Putin’s economic options.
((Rep. Mark Green, Republican))
((Mandatory Courtesy: Zoom))
“He'd have to get his oil (revenues) like Saddam Hussein. Sell oil on the black market — that would be his only way to get oil out, because you can't do a bank transaction. That's probably the most devastating of the sanctions. And anti-tank, anti-armor, legal stuff, that's going to be video images that the Russian people are going to see, they’re going to have to ask themselves, is that something they want?”
((Narrator))
Democrats want to reserve one of the most severe sanctions for use only if Putin goes into Ukraine.
((Rep. Ami Bera, Democrat))
((Mandatory Courtesy: Zoom))
“Should Mr. Putin invade, you know, that Nord Stream Two pipeline is not going to go through and probably never will come to completion. And that's going to have a huge economic impact on Russia. We will also probably implement with broad bipartisan support the biggest set of sanctions that we ever have. Now, none of us
wants to do that, because we understand that impacts the Russian people. But this is an elective choice that Mr. Putin is banking on.”
((Narrator))
Members of Congress who recently traveled to Ukraine and met with officials say American aid will arm the Ukrainians facing the Russian threat. They also found unity among America’s allies.
((Rep. Mikie Sherrill, Democrat))
((Mandatory Courtesy: Zoom))
“What struck me - and I'm sure this is an unintended consequence of Putin's aggression — what struck me is the unity, that as we went to Brussels first and met with our EU counterparts and members of NATO leadership, how united we all were in standing against this type of aggression and in favor of a democratic nation fighting for freedom.”
((Narrator))
The United States has announced it will soon send two thousand troops to Romania, Poland and Germany.
Katherine Gypson, VOA News, Washington
NewsML Media TopicsCrime, Law and Justice, Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateFebruary 2, 2022 18:56 EST
BylineKatherine Gypson
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
