The world awaits, as tensions increase regarding Ukraine. Dallas Congressman Colin Allred is on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He recently went to Ukraine and met with the President.
“They are deploying their forces. It looks likely that within the next week they may begin a full-scale invasion of Ukraine,” said Congressman Colin Allred, (D-Dallas), of Russia.
Republican Congressman Pat Fallon of Rockwall is on the House Armed Services Committee.
“We are looking for right before he goes in, maybe a mass cyber attack, jamming of communication signals, things of that nature. That would be a tell-tale sign that an invasion is imminent. We have had some cyberattacks but not on a mass scale yet,” said Congressman Pat Fallon, (R-Rockwall.)
Get DFW local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC DFW newsletters.
President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin have agreed in principle to a summit to discuss the situation in Ukraine, the White House said Sunday, but only as long as Russia does not invade its neighbor.
“We want to keep having diplomacy and we are going to keep trying. We are going to try and talk them down from this ledge because ultimately thousands of Ukrainians are going to die,” said Allred.
If Russia invades, these congressmen believe the country should pay, and sanctions should be severe. The sanctions would include banks, assets of Russian oligarchs, and more.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
“You cannot reward bad behavior, and that is why I think we should outline the sanctions now, so they could act perhaps as a deterrent. He might still go in, but at least he'll know what he faces,” said Fallon.
Congressman Fallon believes if he does, and there are sanctions, energy could be affected.
“The markets don’t like instability, particularly when Russia is such a large energy producer. So that would be something we would feel at the pump immediately,” said Fallon.
Allred mentioned watching for potential Russian cyberattacks as well but says he hopes Putin will feel the sting.
“I do think it’s one that’s important for all of us together to understand that we are part of this fight too," Allread said. "It’s not just happening across the world, that we have an interest in making sure these kinds of things don’t happen in the world in 2022."
