WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today sought commitments of strong support for Ukraine from two nominees appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
After the hearing, U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) submitted questions for the record for the nominee to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) who will oversee the agency’s foreign assistance efforts in Europe and Eurasia—including Ukraine. Additionally, in light of Russia’s ominous warnings against the strong NATO-partner Finland joining NATO, Romney also raised questions with the nominee to be U.S. Ambassador to Finland.
Citing the worsening humanitarian catastrophe that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has precipitated, Senator Romney’s questions for Erin McKee, nominee to be Assistant Administrator of USAID, focus on the importance of prioritizing assistance for the Ukrainian people and for Ukrainians seeking refuge across Europe. Senator Romney’s questions for the nominee to be U.S. Ambassador to Finland focus on reaffirming that NATO’s door is open should Finland choose to pursue membership.
“Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine is at the forefront of our minds,” Senator Romney said. “As the Russian military continues to shell innocent civilians, population centers, and critical infrastructure, one million Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes as refugees. A humanitarian crisis has quickly emerged, and it is important that the United States lead humanitarian efforts to support the people of Ukraine as they courageously fight to defend their freedom.”
“Finland is an outstanding security partner of the United States, NATO, and Ukraine. Just this week, they pledged to send military aid to the Ukrainians including anti-tank weapons, helmets, and body armor,” Senator Romney continued. “Putin thought his invasion of Ukraine would divide us from our partners and allies, but it only strengthened our bonds as we execute a unified and powerful response to Putin’s actions.”
Senator Romney submitted the following questions for the record for Erin McKee, nominee to be Assistant Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID):
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has precipitated a humanitarian catastrophe that will likely worsen as the Russian military continues to target innocent civilians, population centers, and critical infrastructure. One million Ukrainians have already been forced to flee their homes as refugees, with potentially millions more to follow. What’s more, I remain concerned that Russia could conduct a siege of major cities, starving the populations. If confirmed, you will oversee USAID’s foreign assistance efforts in Europe and Eurasia, including Ukraine.
If confirmed, how will you plan to lead USAID’s efforts to prioritize urgent assistance for the Ukrainian people, including food, water, shelter, and health care, including in the event that the Russian army tries to cut off supplies to Ukrainian cities?
Will you commit to keeping me updated on USAID’s efforts to support the Ukrainian people?
What is USAID’s plan, alongside the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and other agencies, to address the crisis of potentially millions of Ukrainians seeking refuge in Poland and across Europe, as well as those who will be internally displaced within Ukraine?Â
Senator Romney submitted the following question for the record for Douglas Hickey, nominee to be U.S. Ambassador to Finland:
Finland has been an outstanding security partner of the United States, NATO, as well as Ukraine, particularly in light of their pledge to send military aid to the Ukrainians. Putin may have calculated that his dishonorable, illegal invasion of Ukraine would divide NATO from its partners and close NATO’s doors to new members, but his malicious war has only drawn us closer together. I applaud this Administration’s steadfast commitment to keeping NATO membership open to those states that want to join.
Will you commit, if confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to Finland, to consistently reaffirm the message to our Finnish partners that NATO’s door is open, if they choose to purse NATO membership?