‘We have to use diplomacy’: Mass. congressional delegation weighs in on Ukraine conflict

As tensions surrounding Ukraine rise due to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s recognition of two Russian separatists states and subsequently moving troops to those regions Monday, members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation are speaking out about the international conflict.

On Monday, Sen. Ed Markey, who is known for his pro-peace record in Congress, told WCVB that every possible step needs to be taken to avoid military action.

“If Russia invades, it would be the first major war in Europe since 1945. We cannot allow that to happen,” he said.

If Putin wants security guarantees, Markey told WCVB, that can be worked out in negotiations.

“We have to use diplomacy. We have to find an off-ramp,” he said. “We have to ensure that we’ve done everything that is possible to avoid a military conflict because there is no military solution to this problem.”

NBC 10 Boston reported that Markey also believes Putin is underestimating NATO in thinking the military alliance is weak, when in fact Putin has united and strengthened NATO.

But in a Sunday interview with WCVB, Massachusetts 8th District Rep. Stephen Lynch said he is “worried about the firmness of the NATO coalition and what will happen when shots are fired.”

Lynch expressed further thoughts on the conflict on Twitter on Monday.

“The U.S. and NATO must stand in support of the democratic freedom of the Ukrainian people and continue to urge Putin to avoid war,” he wrote. “If we allow authoritarian regimes like Russia and China to use military force to absorb smaller countries, we only invite more situations like this in the future.”

Politico reported that Massachusetts 9th District Rep. Bill Keating, who was just overseas for the Munich Security Conference, said Putin had “chosen the wrong and foolish path,” and that the U.S., NATO and the European Union “will enact swift and severe consequences for the actions taken by the Russian government.”

Keating also issued multiple statements on the conflict on Twitter in the last two days.

Katherine Clark, Massachusetts 5th District Representative, wrote about the conflict on Twitter Tuesday, saying she supports President Joe Biden’s sanctions on the Ukrainian separatist states and Russia.

“America and its allies abroad must use every diplomatic tool we have to stop further aggression by Putin that threatens Ukraine’s sovereignty and its people,” she wrote.

Massachusetts 4th District Rep. Jake Auchincloss also weighed in on Twitter on Monday.

“Congress must invest President Biden with the leverage he needs to support Ukraine and keep NATO united in the face of Russian belligerence,” he wrote.

Seth Moulton, Massachusetts 6th District Representative, similarly expressed his thoughts on Twitter Tuesday.

“Putin is going to extreme lengths in yet another brazen attempt to rewrite history. He is risking unthinkable violence to boost his ego & shape his own reality,” he wrote. “The U.S. & our allies must continue to hold Putin accountable for this blatant violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty.”

Right now, Putin has around 150,000 troops on Ukraine’s border on three sides, and President Joe Biden has said he believes Putin will invade Ukraine further within the week.

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