U.S. senators stressed that supporting Ukraine should remain one of America’s key priorities.
A bipartisan group of six U.S. senators has introduced the SABER Act, which seeks to expand the permitted use of confiscated Russian sovereign assets. In particular, the bill would allow those funds to be used to purchase weapons for Ukraine. The announcement was published on Senator Tim Kaine’s official website.
“Ukraine’s determination and resilience in defending its homeland against Russian forces deserve the highest praise, and the international community must continue doing everything possible to provide Ukraine with what it needs to succeed on the battlefield and rebuild its country. That is why I am joining my colleagues in introducing this bipartisan legislation to allow Russia’s sovereign assets to be used to purchase the defense articles needed to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia,” Kaine said.
The SABER Act would authorize the use of frozen assets belonging to the Central Bank of Russia not only for reconstruction, humanitarian assistance, and compensation funds, but also for purchasing military equipment for Ukraine. The initiative is backed by Democrats Tim Kaine, Chris Coons, and Sheldon Whitehouse, as well as Republicans John Cornyn, Roger Wicker, and Chuck Grassley.
“The REPO Act laid an important foundation for confiscating and repurposing billions of dollars in frozen Russian assets to help the Ukrainian people defend their sovereignty following Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. By expanding the law’s permitted uses to replenish Ukraine’s arsenal, this legislation is another step toward helping our ally defend itself against Russian aggression and making Putin pay for arming Ukraine,” Cornyn said.
Senator Chris Coons said that Ukraine is on the front line of the fight for freedom in Europe, defending the democratic world against Russia’s unprovoked aggression. He emphasized that Ukrainian forces continue to fight courageously under extremely difficult conditions and that the United States must provide them with the resources and support they need.
Republican Senator Chuck Grassley stressed that the United States must do its part to support Ukraine. He added that the proposed legislation would help fund military assistance for Ukraine without placing an additional burden on American taxpayers.
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