CHICAGO, Ill. – Does Senator Dick Durbin think Russian President Vladimir Putin will “go nuclear” in that country’s invasion of Ukraine?
“I pray that isn’t even in the realm of possibilities,” said Durbin (D-Springfield). “But, he is a madman. And the fact that he would launch this invasion in 2022 is evidence you shouldn’t take anything for granted.”
Durbin, on a conference call Thursday with Illinois reporters, says it’s clear Putin was determined to carry out this invasion, despite all the diplomatic efforts of the U.S. and European nations.
Durbin says he supports the recent Biden administration decisions to move some U.S. troops into various positions in Europe in order to support NATO as Russia invades Ukraine.
“We sincerely hope that he will stop as soon as possible,” said Durbin. “But, we have to be ready — which means we have to put our troops in the NATO ally countries that are most vulnerable. Those would include, of course, Poland, Crimea, the Baltic republics.”
Durbin, while on an European trip he just got back from, says he met with some troops from Illinois who are now part of a force helping NATO in Lithuania.
He will be in Chicago Friday, talking at the request of Chicago’s Catholic Archbishop, among others, with members of Chicago’s Ukranian population. There are an estimated 54,000 Ukrainians living there, especially in the “Ukrainian Village” area.
