Risch: Putin is a Madman – the NYET Act Must be Taken Up and Passed

BOISE, Idaho – Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) today made the following statement regarding a path forward in response to Vladimir Putin’s declaration of war against Ukraine:

“Anyone who is surprised by Putin’s deadly attack on a sovereign nation has not been paying attention. These are the actions of a madman. My bill, the NYET Act, spells out exactly what should happen today, tomorrow, and what should have happened well before now to stop Putin from doing exactly what he has done. When the Senate reconvenes on Monday, I will do all that I can to see the NYET Act be immediately picked up by the full Senate and passed in short order. Diplomacy has failed. Those of us who called for more definitive action from the Biden Administration and our allies have unfortunately been proven right. We cannot afford to wait any longer, we must take more decisive action.”

Senator Risch’s Never Yielding Europe’s Territory (NYET) Act imposes massive economic consequences to Russia’s economy by: 

• Sanctioning major Russian banks.
• Imposing secondary sanctions on banks that continue business with sanctioned Russian banks.
• Sanctioning Putin’s cronies, enablers, and major banks.

The NYET Act supports Ukraine by:

• Providing $500 million in Foreign Military Financing (FMF) for Ukraine, including $250 million in emergency funding, with $100 million for emergency lethal assistance for critical capabilities like air defense, anti-armor, and anti-ship capabilities.
• Creating a new Ukraine Resistance Fund to help Ukraine resist attempts to occupy or subjugate any new territory Russia seizes, while sending a clear message to Putin that his military will pay a price for advances into sovereign Ukrainian territory.
• Authorizing a new Lend-Lease authority for Ukraine.
• Expediting congressional review of arms sales and security assistance to Ukraine.

The NYET Act counters Russian malign influence and aggression throughout Europe by:

• Doubling funding for U.S. military exercises in Europe.
• Creating a new State Department FMF program for Eastern Europe to help European allies strengthen their own defensive capabilities and incentivize greater burden-sharing.
• Boosting funding for State Department efforts to counter Russian disinformation, including the Global Engagement Center, and expands broadcasting by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

Text of the NYET Act can be found here.

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