US Senator Jeanne Shaheen said that Russia’s actions in Georgia in 2008, the annexation of Crimea in 2014, and the full-scale invasion of Ukraine demonstrate that Vladimir Putin responds only to sustained pressure. Speaking at the Halifax International Security Forum, the Democratic senator criticized President Donald Trump for failing to apply the level of pressure necessary to deter the Kremlin.
Shaheen stressed that Moscow’s pattern of aggression has been consistent for more than a decade and that Western hesitation only encourages further escalation. “We saw what the Russians did in 2008 in Georgia, we saw what they did in 2014 in Crimea, we saw how they invaded Ukraine, and they will continue if we do not take sufficient notice and do not apply pressure,” she said.
Shaheen claimed that the Russian leadership interprets any lack of firmness as a green light, and diplomatic progress becomes impossible without strong leverage. “I believe the only thing Vladimir Putin understands is pressure, and President Trump was unable to exert enough pressure on Putin and the Russian regime to force them to the negotiating table,” she added.
