Larsen insouciant about Russian sanction list

U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen isn’t quaking in his boots after being placed on a Russian “stop list.”

U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen isn’t quaking in his boots after being placed on a Russian “stop list.”

The Second Congressional District congressman and the other 397 members of the U.S. House of Representatives appeared in a sanctions list announced by Russia this week. A statement from the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the “mirror” sanctions were in response to the White House imposing sanctions on Russian government officials.

“Together with other current legislators, who, like Speaker N. Pelosi, were denied entry to the Russian Federation earlier, all U.S. congressmen were subjected to ‘listing’ on the basis of reciprocity,” the statement says.

Larsen quickly responded to the action.

“If supporting the Ukrainian people and standing up for the young democracy gets me sanctioned by Putin and the Russian government, I am honored,” said Larsen, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee.

“Whether it takes two days, two weeks, two months or two years, the situation in Ukraine is not over until an independent and sovereign Ukraine has its boundaries back and the continued freedom to choose its leaders and future. I will stand with Ukraine no matter how long it takes. Slava Ukraini!”

Likewise, other members of Congress have commented that they are pleased to be on the list.

“This is a badge of honor,” Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson of Iowa tweeted. “But it is laughable that Putin thinks these sanctions will even slightly deter our efforts to defeat him and support the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom.”

Ironically, the list includes other Republican politicians who have supported Russia, criticized Ukraine and voted against sanctions. For example, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia suggested that Ukraine was responsible for the invasion for “poking the bear.” Rep. Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “a thug” and the Ukrainian government “incredibly evil.”

Larsen described himself as a “strong supporter” of action by the U.S. and its allies to help Ukraine defend itself and hold Putin accountable. Larsen supported $13.6 billion in humanitarian, security and financial aid for Ukraine in the fiscal year 2022 spending package.