Dori: Russian demands are ‘just like the old Soviet Union,’ congressman says

As reports from eastern Europe weigh heavy on the minds of Americans, the safety and sovereignty of the Ukrainian people are top priorities.

But if proposed sanctions against Russia’s aggressive actions threatening Ukraine don’t work, will the United States put American boots on the ground to help this non-NATO country?

“I don’t think so,” U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Everett) told The Dori Monson Show on Wednesday.

Fresh off a trip to Belgium with other NATO country leaders, Larsen says early sanctions are a way to “ratchet up the pressure” on Russian President Vladimir Putin.

After meeting with eight other bipartisan U.S. members of Congress and parliamentary leaders in Europe, Larsen told Dori and his listeners that “this has brought a solidarity (to NATO leaders) that I haven’t seen in a long time.”

“What is galvanizing other countries in this matter?,” Dori asked Larsen, who serves as a member of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee.

For starters, Larsen said: “Putin has demanded that NATO close its open-door policy – giving (non-NATO) countries a chance to join. He wants that closed off.”

NATO membership requires unanimous approval of its other member countries; currently, France and Germany have not favored adding Ukraine – the second largest European country geographically, behind Russia.

Putin’s second demand, the congressman continued, is to “remove U.S. forces, NATO forces – weapons and people – from any country that came into NATO after 1997. He wants them out,” Larsen explained.

“Think of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania – (Putin) basically wants to roll back NATO’s borders, which gives him an opportunity to control some of these countries like the old Soviet Union used to do. That’s the concern our allies have. It’s not just about Ukraine. It’s about broader security in Europe,” Larsen said. “Our allies want to see the U.S. presence there to support them.”

Before there’s any movement toward putting U.S. forces on the ground in this region, Larsen said, “give the president (Biden) a chance to do more.”

Additional coming sanctions will “ratchet up the pressure.”

With these sanctions, Dori asked, “is there any chance that Putin is going to pull out? And what does that end game look like?”

“The end game is longer than two days, two weeks, two months or even two years,” Larsen responded. “It’s a longer end game. We need to be strongly supportive of an independent and sovereign Ukraine. It’s trying to become a democracy and look West. We can’t back away from that.”

Listen to Dori’s entire interview with Washington state Congressman Rick Larsen:

Listen to the Dori Monson Show weekday afternoons from noon – 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.

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