WASHINGTON - Maine 1st District Rep. Chellie Pingree has just returned from a fact-finding trip centered on the Ukraine that included meetings with that nation's military and civilian leaders.
Pingree says the military situation there is precarious, with Russian President Vladimir Putin showing no indication of reducing his aggressive actions, which have included seizing part of the Ukraine.
Pingree says she's worried about what will happen next, for several reasons. "Some of them I can't discuss," she says, "but I guess we got enough credible information to feel that Putin is not making a minor effort."
Pingree says Congress faces a tough decision on whether to honor Ukraine's' request for more training assistance and more sophisticated weapons to counter the Russians. She hopes economic sanctions will force the Russians to back off, but says a case can be made for more military assistance.
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