WASHINGTON, DC – Today, after the Trump Administration expelled 60 Russian diplomats from the nation and ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle due to its proximity to U.S. submarine bases and Boeing, Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement:

 “The decision by the Trump Administration to expel 60 Russian diplomats from the United States in response to the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter on British soil was the right one.  By acting in coordination with more than 21 allies and partners, we are reaffirming our strategic relationship with the UK and sending a powerful signal to Moscow that their aggression is unacceptable and harms Russia’s standing in the world and their longer-term interests.

“While this is an important step, the Administration must move beyond simply responding after the fact to these Russian attacks and actually deter such behavior in the first place.  The President should implement a strategic approach that utilizes both military and non-military tools in our arsenal in order to blunt Russian malign conduct.”