Several high-profile Republicans are introducing a joint resolution calling on President Biden to pressure the United Nations to strip Russia of its permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, which gives Moscow a veto over the council's resolutions.
The Republican effort, which Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn and New York Rep. Claudia Tenney are spearheading, comes after Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
"The Russian government is actively killing innocent Ukrainian civilians, committing war crimes, and invading sovereign territory unprovoked. At the same time, Moscow is driving decisions in the United Nations through its role as a Permanent Member of the Security Council. Russia must be exiled from the international community," Blackburn said in a statement.
"Putin is attempting to rebuild the Soviet Union and his ambassador should not be allowed to veto the United Nations’ response to Russian aggression. The Russian Federation is a direct threat to global security and the sovereignty of our international partners."
Tenney added: "Russia is setting a new and dangerous precedent by abusing its role on the UN Security Council to shield itself from accountability for its blatantly illegal and unprovoked invasion of a sovereign country. This resolution is certainly a tall order given the procedural hurdles it faces in the Security Council, but it does not mean Congress should back down."
In addition to Tenney and Blackburn, the resolution is co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst of Iowa, Rick Scott of Florida and Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi.
