WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) today released the following statement.

“I am a staunch, passionate defender of the people of Ukraine as they fight to repel Putin’s lawless, bloody, and unjustified invasion. The people of Ukraine are engaged in a just war defending their national sovereignty and political democracy against Putin’s war crimes and I will continue to energetically support this struggle until the day it is won. 

“But it’s essential in this process that we maintain our fidelity to just means as well as just ends. This means we should provide our Ukrainian allies the technology they need to repel and defeat Putin’s army on the battlefield but we should not furnish weaponry designed to maximize suffering or that inherently threatens the injury and loss of life, including those of civilian noncombatants.

“Therefore, while I continue to zealously support the Ukrainian people and the United States’ efforts to send military, economic, and humanitarian assistance to the Ukrainian people, I cannot support sending cluster munitions to the front lines. I support my colleague Ms. Jacobs’s amendment to this year’s National Defense Authorization Act to categorically prohibit the transfer or sale of U.S. cluster munitions. As we work with our NATO allies to sustain the Ukrainian people’s brave efforts to defend their democracy, I stand in agreement with our allies’ opposition to the transfer of these weapons that would maim and kill people long after the triumph of Ukraine’s just and democratic war of self-defense. More than 100 nations have joined in the ban on the use of cluster munitions, and we should join them.”

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