‘Time to make this personal to Putin:’ SC leaders react to Russia’s attack on Ukraine
South Carolina’s senior member of the U.S. Senate expressed outrage after news broke overnight that Russia had invaded neighbor Ukraine with airstrikes or shelling.
He was not the only member of the state’s congressional delegation to do so.
“Our prayers are with #Ukraine. Imperative that we continue to provide Ukraine with defensive weapons as well as good intelligence. The world needs to condemn Putin’s destruction of a neighboring democracy as a war crime,” U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham tweeted Wednesday night.
Their statements, posted to social media, followed news that Russia had launched a full air, land and sea invasion into neighboring Ukraine. Putin has claimed those areas belong to Russia.
Graham called on international law enforcement to seize property belonging to Putin and other prominent Russian officials.
“It’s time to make this personal to Putin,” Graham tweeted.
U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-Springfield, called Russia’s invasion a “one-sided war (that) has no place in the modern world.”
“Putin and his lapdogs have blood on their hands & have robbed the citizens of Russia to perpetrate this war against the citizens of Ukraine,” Wilson tweeted. “Putin will pay for his crimes.”
U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman, R-Rock Hill, called for stronger sanctions against Russia, which are currently being planned by leaders around the world. He said “there can be no doubt that Russia is the aggressor in this war and the enemy of peace worldwide.”
“No one knows how this will end, or how far Russia will go,” Norman tweeted. “But what is almost certain is massive and catastrophic loss of innocent life in the days and weeks to come. Vladimir Putin will be to blame for every single one of those.”
U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-Daniel Island, criticized the Biden administration in a statement Thursday for their handling of the crisis.
“President (Joe) Biden said he could go ‘toe to toe’ with Putin but instead he has chosen to play footsie – Biden slow-walked lethal aid to Ukraine, waived sanctions on Nord Stream 2, and chose toothless sanctions against a few rich Russians,” Mace said. “Biden’s weakness helped lead to this crisis.”
Biden already issued a number of sanctions against Russia in the weeks before the invasion. Those included economic sanctions against major Russian banks and some aimed at the Russian elite. Biden is expected to announce additional sanctions late Thursday.
Mace also called for U.S. restrictions on Russia’s oil and gas industry.
U.S. Rep. William Timmons, R-Greenville, said in a statment Thursday the Biden administration and Congress “should use every economic sanction tool at our disposal to immediately isolate and degrade the Russian economy and leadership.” He added that Putin is a “murderous tyrant invading a sovereign country with the goal of reestablishing the Soviet bloc.”
Sen. Tim Scott, R-North Charleston, told the Ukrainian people that the U.S. stands with them in this conflict, and Rice posted to his Twitter account that his prayers are with the people of Ukraine.
“Putin’s attack on the innocent people of Ukraine is an assault on a sovereign nation,” Rice tweeted. “I condemn this senseless violence and we must hold Russia accountable for their actions.”
They were joined in requests for prayers by Gov. Henry McMaster.
“Please join Peggy and me in praying for the people of Ukraine during this dark hour,” McMaster tweeted. “Russia’s invasion of their sovereign nation must be met with a unified response from our nation and allies.”
President Joe Biden condemned Putin during a speech Thursday afternoon and announced new, strict sanctions against Russia.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This story was originally published February 24, 2022 at 9:45 AM.
