Squeezing Russia Into Another Cold War

IMAGE SOURCE: spiegel.de

By Anita Stewart

Earlier this week, the Senate authorized aid to the Ukraine in the amount of $118 in equipment and for the training of the Ukraine’s security forces. This same legislation, the Ukraine Freedom Support Act, also adds more restrictions and sanctions on specific industries in Russia to include the largest energy and defense companies. This bill ensures a total of $350 million dollars in aid and military equipment over the course of 2 years.

Identical bills passed in the Senate and House unanimously on December 11th but needed to be edited to include a loan guarantee provision and therefore had to be sent through the voting process again.

Russian officials are harshly criticizing these latest moves.

Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, called the new measures “hostile” and stated this was in Obama’s hands to sign into law or to veto.

Senator Bob Corker (TN-R) said the unanimous decision proved the United State’s,

“firm commitment to Ukraine sovereignty and said that Putin must pay for “an assault on freedom and security in Europe.”

Since April, over 4,700 people have already been killed in East Ukraine. Many more may die if the energy and heating shortages in their largest cities continues through the winter.

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