Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Russia Ukraine War topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public commenter at U.S. Helsinki Commission session says Putin seeks to recreate Soviet Union
Summary
During a meeting of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, a public commenter said Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine to reconstitute the Soviet-era empire and called his regime a mafia benefiting oligarchs.
A public commenter told the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (the U.S. Helsinki Commission) that Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine to rebuild the Soviet-era empire and benefit a small elite.
"There's really only 1 reason, why, war criminal Putin invaded Ukraine. And it's because he wants to reinstitute and recreate the failed Soviet Union," the commenter said, adding that "there's a mafia, with oligarchs who are being benefit benefited, and the people of Russia are being taken advantage of." The commenter also said, "Congressman Costa is right."
The remarks occurred during the meeting's comment period and reflected the speaker's interpretation of Putin's motives; they were presented as opinion rather than as a summary of new evidence or a formal finding by the commission. No motion or vote accompanied the comment.
The comment references the broader international debate over the causes of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and echoes longstanding criticisms of concentrated political and economic power in Russia. The commission's meeting record shows these remarks as part of the public-comments portion of the session; the transcript does not identify the commenter by name.
