VIDEO: Auchincloss On Ukraine: “We Need To Go Further”
VIDEO: Auchincloss On Ukraine: “We Need To Go Further”
Washington, D.C. - This morning, Congressman Jake Auchincloss (D, MA-04) joined “Way Too Early” on MSNBC to discuss the latest in Ukraine, supporting our NATO allies including Poland, and the rise of refugees fleeing Eastern Europe.
WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmXnfJg8Yn4
KEY EXCERPTS:
On Newly Announced Sanctions:
“Yes I support it, and indeed I think it should go further. We need to coordinate a global embargo on Russia’s five million barrels a day. And this conversation begins with straight talk with the American people. We have known since the Napoleonic wars that crisis in Europe does affect American's daily lives. Gas prices are at a record high in my home state of Massachusetts, more supply is coming online in 2022, both domestic and international. But prices are probably going to stay high for much of this year. But out of this crisis there is opportunity. There is opportunity for the United States to regain moral leadership on the world stage by rallying our NATO allies in defense of a sovereign democracy and there’s opportunity to turbocharge our transition to a clean energy economy. It’s not just good for the environment, it’s not just the fastest growing industry in the United States, it’s also a strategic asset.”
On Poland:
“We should get airplanes and anti-tank and anti air missiles and drones and counter drone equipment to Ukraine through every format possible. And that includes backfilling supplies from Poland, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, any other countries that are willing to provide those migs to Ukraine. It’s regrettable that there was this public miscommunication between Poland and the United States - this kind of stuff should be handled diplomatically, and I would expect - and hope - that the Biden Administration is going to do all in its power to work with Poland and other NATO allies to get these airplanes and other anti air equipment to Ukraine. And if necessary, we should be using Article 4 consultations to assure our Eastern NATO allies of their territorial integrity.”
On Ukrainian Refugees:
“We can continue to work with our NATO allies in helping them process those refugees. So many of those American forces who are in Europe, part of their mission set has been to work with those NATO allies in helping them process refugees and ensure they are domiciled appropriately, and of course we can welcome them ourselves here in the United States, which we should. The Ukrainian workforce is a tremendously talented group of people and right now we’ve got more open jobs than we’ve got workers in the United States. This is a tremendous opportunity for us.”
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