Graves, Hartzler call for severe sanctions against Russia

Members of Missouri’s Congressional delegation are blasting Russian President Vladimir Putin for invading Ukraine. 

Republican Congressman Sam Graves, who represents northern Missouri in the U-S House, calls the Russian invasion “unprovoked” in a written statement, and says the U-S and NATO must “immediately enact the strongest possible sanctions to cripple Putin’s ability to make war.” 

Graves adds that we can’t afford to repeat the mistakes of 2008 and 2014, when Russia attacked the Georgian Republic and took the Crimea peninsula away from Ukraine, respectively. 

Fellow Republican Vicky Hartzler, who represent west-central Missouri, says the invasion is also another test for President Joe Biden because China and other enemies will closely watch how we respond. 

She also called for Biden to enact “severe” sanctions against Russia.