With the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, global security is top of mind right now. Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy is bringing home new insight after just returning from the Warsaw Security Forum in Poland.
“So long as Russian troops are inside Ukraine, I think I have an obligation to stand up and support Ukrainian democracy,” Sen. Murphy said.
He says that was a through line at the forum.
“We need to continue to support them. If at some point Ukraine wants to sit down at the negotiating table with the Russians, we’ll support them as well,” he said.
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Sen. Murphy is co-chair of the U.S. Senate Poland Caucus.
“There’s a real short-term memory about what it was like to live under a Russia-dominated Poland, and so Polish Americans do not want that reality for Ukraine,” he said. “They know what it’s like to have a foreign power out of Moscow dominating your daily existence.”
He believes the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine hits close to home for Polish and Ukrainian Americans in Connecticut.
“There are a lot of people of Polish descent here in Connecticut that send support back to their families in Poland,” Sen. Murphy said.
Local
Sen. Murphy shared his insight from the Warsaw Security Forum with local Polish and Ukrainian communities during a town hall in New Britain Monday night.
"We can support Poland by making sure that they have everything to defend themselves against Russia,” Sen. Murphy said. “But also making sure that we’re working with the Polish community here in Connecticut and across the country to support their relatives in Poland, many of which may be housing Ukrainian refugees right now. This is a joint effort.”