To the heroic people of Ukraine,

Wisconsin stands with you as you face one of the most unnecessary and shameful acts of military aggression in modern history. Without provocation, Vladimir Putin has chosen to engage in a premeditated war based on revisionist grievances and his own twisted quest for power at all costs. Today, we see those costs plainly – thousands of lives have already been lost, hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced from their homes, and the shadow of war is cast over every corner of Ukraine. Unfortunately, we know that President Putin is ready and willing to escalate this war, no matter how many Ukrainian or Russian lives will be lost.

Ukraine has been proudly and fiercely independent since 1991. For over thirty years, the Ukrainian people have worked hard to develop their sovereign nation and have fought to address corruption with the hope of pursuing a life of freedom and peace.

Eight years ago, Ukrainians came together to chart a new path forward – a path of democracy, free from President Putin’s machinations and Russian meddling. Instead of accepting that reality, Putin and his allies responded by illegally annexing Crimea and provoking war in the Donbas. When President Putin provided his muddled and fabricated rationale late last month for expanding the war and invading Ukraine, it became even clearer that he was unwilling to consider either reason or facts. People of Ukraine, people of Wisconsin, and people of the world know: this war is Vladimir Putin’s, and Putin’s alone.

We know that the people of Ukraine want only to live in peace, and we are horrified at President Putin’s decision to break that peace with this unprovoked and illegal invasion. Ukrainian cities and lives are being destroyed, from Kyiv to Zaporizhzhia, from churches to schools, and the world is watching. We condemn these actions in no uncertain terms, and unequivocally denounce any further military actions carried out by Russia in Ukraine. We call on the international community to continue to sanction and isolate Putin and his regime and to continue providing much-needed aid and support to the people of Ukraine. This war must end, and Russia must lay down arms and leave Ukraine’s borders immediately. We will accept nothing less than an unconditional ceasefire and a complete end to the Russian occupation of Ukraine.

To the people of Ukraine and to Ukrainians around the world, you have the right to protect your land, your history, your culture. And we have a moral obligation to support and affirm your right to live freely. We recognize that this is an especially heart-wrenching time for those in our own Ukrainian-American communities, seeing the country of their birth or heritage torn apart and their family members and friends under the unimaginable threat of violence and dislocation. You are not alone. We are united against aggression and war, and we stand ready to listen and to speak out against these horrors during this difficult time, and for years to come.

Слава Україні! Героям слава!

In Solidarity,

 

Jonathan Brostoff

State Representative

19th Assembly District

Kristina Shelton

State Representative

90th Assembly District

Christine Sinicki

State Representative

20th Assembly District

Mark Spreitzer

State Representative

45th Assembly District

Dora Drake

State Representative

11th Assembly District

Gary Hebl

State Representative

46th Assembly District

Francesca Hong

State Representative

76th Assembly District

Lee Snodgrass

State Representative

57th Assembly District

Jill Billings

State Representative

95th Assembly District

Evan Goyke

State Representative

18th Assembly District

Dave Considine

State Representative

81st Assembly District

Jimmy Anderson

State Representative

47th Assembly District

Sue Conley

State Representative

44th Assembly District

Dianne Hesselbein

State Representative

79th Assembly District

David Bowen

State Representative

10th Assembly District

Jodi Emerson

State Representative

91st Assembly District

Robyn Vining

State Representative

14th Assembly District

Sylvia Ortiz-Velez

State Representative

8th Assembly District

Deb Andraca

State Representative

23rd Assembly District

Samba Baldeh

State Representative

48th Assembly District

Kelda Roys

State Senator

26th Senate District

André Jacque

State Senator

1st Senate District

LaTonya Johnson

State Senator

6th Senate District

Melissa Agard

State Senator

16th Senate District

Chris Larson

State Senator

7th Senate District

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