US senators heading to Poland, India, Germany, UAE to rally Ukraine support

A number of US Democratic lawmakers including four senators and a House member are slated to travel to Poland, India, Germany and the United Arab Emirates to rally support for Ukraine.

In an email on Sunday evening, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) announced the nine-day trip, but said he could not release additional details on the schedule due to security concerns.

Other senators travelling with Kelly are Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-MA), along with Rep. Mondaire Jones (D-N.Y.), the lone House member.

“This strong congressional delegation will have the opportunity to meet with US military leadership and troops in Poland in order to learn how the US can continue to support Ukraine and our NATO allies against Russia’s unprovoked and unwarranted war,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement.

“In addition, the delegation will meet with a number of key foreign leaders in Poland, UAE, India, Nepal, and Germany to strengthen ties during this period of heightened global tension.”

The group of American lawmakers is the latest of multiple US congressional delegations who have travelled mostly to Europe since the war began in February.

Earlier this month, a bipartisan group of lawmakers led by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) visited Poland.

Day 52: Russia steps up strikes on Kiev after warship sinks

A military hardware factory in the Ukrainian capital Kiev has been hit by strikes on the 52nd day of the conflict after Russian forces bombed a missile unit outside the city.

Russia began a “special military operation” in Ukraine’s Donbas region on Feb. 24 to defend people subjected to "genocide" there against government forces, stressing that Moscow has “no plans to occupy Ukrainian territory.”

US President Joe Biden called the Russian action an "unprovoked and unjustified attack," and the American media described it as the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two.

On April 7, the United Nations General Assembly has voted to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) over what it called the “gross and systematic violations and abuses of human rights” by Russian troops in Ukraine.

UN suspends Russia from human rights council over Ukraine, Moscow says will defend interests

The United Nations General Assembly has suspended Russia from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) over Moscow

Since the start of Russia's military operation in Ukraine, the UN General Assembly has adopted two resolutions denouncing Moscow.

Among the countries the US senators will travel to, India has remained neutral in UN votes on alleged human rights violations carried out in Ukraine.

The Asian country has also continued to import Russian oil as global prices have risen due to sanction on oil and gas exports from Russia.

Meanwhile, the oil-rich Persian Gulf countries have resisted calls by the US to increase their oil supply in the global market to bring down prices.

Germany, on the other hand, which continues to rely on Russian natural gas delivery, through a Nord Stream 1 pipeline, has opposed joining calls by the US and other countries in Europe to cut off global Russian oil and gas imports.

Top German officials have already warned that turning off the spigot is not an option for Europe’s most populated country. 

Divisions rife as EU mulls ban on imports of Russian oil

The European Union is drafting proposals to impose a ban on the import of Russian oil, the top diplomats of Ireland, Lithuania, and the Netherlands have declared despite no consensus on the issue by member nations.

Russian oil accounts for 25 percent of German imports, down from 35 percent before the start of Russia’s military operation. Gas imports to Germany from Russia have been cut to 40 percent from 55 percent, and hard coal imports to 25 percent from 50 percent.

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