The primary journey to the Munich Safety Convention for U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., has been an eventful one. She was among the many individuals within the viewers in Germany on Saturday for Vice President Kamala Harris’s speech on Ukraine. McCollum is a part of a congressional delegation to the Munich Safety Convention, the place the tensions between Russia and Ukraine have been on the prime of the agenda.
“We hope diplomacy works. We spoke with Secretary Blinken yesterday. He has not given up. He isn’t going to surrender on diplomacy till Putin says he is completed speaking,” McCollum stated. “However we’ve got the solidarity right here for extreme sanctions. And these sanctions are going to radically have an effect on the Russian financial system.”
McCollum stated there may very well be a variety of outcomes and sanctions, relying on Russia’s subsequent strikes. In her speech, Harris stated sanctions might doubtlessly goal Russia’s monetary establishments and key industries.
The group additionally heard from Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko.
“It was heartbreaking listening to the mayor of Kyiv. Individuals are able to defend their nation and with any means obligatory,” McCollum stated. “He is very frightened about his inhabitants.”
McCollum is chair of the Home Protection Appropriations Subcommittee. The delegation of Home Democrats is being led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi. A number of different lawmakers are additionally in Munich for the convention.
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