Congressman Cohen Attends Helsinki Commission Briefing on Russian Genocide in Ukraine

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Co-Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, today discussed Russia’s genocide in Ukraine at a briefing with expert panelists.

In his opening remarks, Co-Chairman Cohen said in part:

“I think it’s necessary on genocide that we decide to declare it such because it has clearly been one. Putin made it clear before the invasion that he wanted Ukraine not to exist…The Ukrainians have shown they are a fierce fighting people, that they love their country, that they love their independence, and that they love freedom and they’re not going to put up with the Russian invasion, Russian conquest and with Russian control…

“In every city that has been freed by the Ukrainian army, war crimes have been reported and are being documented. So we need to proceed with doing what is the right thing and declaring this a genocide…”

See those remarks here.

Panelists at the briefing were:

• Dr. Timothy Snyder, Richard C. Levin Professor of History, Yale University
• Ms. Maria Kurinna, Ukrainian human rights activist; International advocacy advisor, ZMINA
• Dr. Eugene Finkel, Kenneth H. Keller Associate Professor of International Affairs, Johns Hopkins University
• Professor Erin Rosenberg, Visiting Scholar, Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights

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