Protests in Ukraine began late last year with hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians taking to the streets to rally against corruption and police violence in the country. Congressman Brian Higgins says the violence happening there is a complicated matter.
“The situation in the Ukraine is one of strategic importance in the United States, but I think that military intervention is not a good idea in this situation. I think that we have to work with our allies, our European allies in particular to say to the Russian president that this is a big mistake,” said Higgins.
Recently, Russia has taken control of Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula. Russian leaders say the military intervention is to protect its interests and the interest of Russians that live in Ukraine. But, Higgins says he doesn’t believe that’s why Russia invaded Ukraine at all.
“I don’t think there’s any justification for what Russia has done. I think they’re flexing their muscle a little bit, but we have options,” said Higgins.
Higgins says if the U.S. has to take action an economic sanction would be a powerful enough statement as it has worked thus far in Iran. He says either way the U.S. should proceed with caution when dealing with Russia.
“I think that Russian President Vladimir Putin is both a trouble maker and a peacemaker. Keep in mind he’s causing trouble in Syria, but then was fundamental to the process of dealing with their chemical weapons. I will tell you having traveled a good bit in the world a lot of these foreign leaders in Afghanistan or Iraq these people are our allies, but let me tell you something I don’t want them as allies in any fight that I’m in. They’re very duplicitous and American gets played,” said Higgins.