Congress to receive in-person, classified briefing next week on Ukraine invasion

Congress will receive an in-person, classified briefing from the Biden administration next week regarding the evolving situation between Russia and Ukraine, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on Thursday.

Congress was also set to receive a briefing from the administration on Thursday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin early Thursday morning Moscow time ordered a military operation in Ukraine, which capped off months of rising tensions between Moscow and Kyiv. Russia in recent weeks had amassed up to 190,000 troops near the Ukrainian border, stoking fear in the U.S. and among allied nations that Moscow was planning an invasion.

President Biden announced additional sanctions against major Russian banks on Thursday and said the U.S. would impose export controls on Russia to restrict its high-tech imports.

Pelosi on Thursday said the response from the U.S. and its allies against Russia “will be severe, ongoing and devastating for Russia, economically, diplomatically, and strategically.”

“President Biden has made clear throughout Russia’s escalation that we will continue to impose costs on Russia that will leave it weakened in every way. These include the further steps announced today of sweeping and catastrophic sanctions on financial institutions, companies and individuals critical to the Russian economy and of further military support to bolster NATO,” she added.

Pelosi said Russia launched a “premeditated war” against Ukraine that was “an attack on democracy and a grave violation of international law, global peace and security.”

“Putin’s unprovoked actions will cause devastating loss of life and a diminishing of Russia in the world order,” she added.