Night has fallen in Ukraine, and in Kyiv, in Kharkiv, and other cities and towns, all through Ukraine the bombing continues. The bombardment of artillery shells, missiles.

Thousands of innocent Ukrainians have already lost their lives. We cannot let this stand. We need to work with our allies to stop these atrocities.

(…) If you care about America, you should care about Ukraine. Every freedom-loving country should care because in Ukraine today is where the fight for freedom is being waged. It’s not just about Ukraine. It’s also about the rest of the countries in Eastern Europe of course — Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Hungary, those countries – but it’s also about the entire world isn’t it?

It’s about can an authoritarian governments step into a free, independent government and take over a territory and kill its citizens.

By the way, Ukraine wants nothing, but to live in peace. They are not looking it to attack anybody. They just want to be able to lead a life where they can, in peace, pursue their dreams.

(…) I commend the administration’s sanctioning of Russian oligarchs and wealthy citizens, but we need to do more. We need to move from freezing assets to seizing assets. We can do that.

Other countries have done it. By the way, Germany has done it. France has done it. We should be out front as Americans and not just freezing, but seizing

(…) The world is watching. Our allies are watching. Our adversaries are watching. We must show the world that America does stand for freedom, and we stand with Ukraine. God bless Ukraine, whereas the Ukrainian people say glory to Ukraine, glory to the Ukrainians. Slava Ukraini, Heroiam Slava.

— excerpt from Senate floor remarks on Monday

Rob Portman is a Republican and the junior U.S. senator representing Ohio. His office can be reached at 212-224-3353.