Press Releases
Currently showing results related to Foreign Policy
Durbin Statement on Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal and Hostage Release
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding the agreement reached between Israel and Hamas to release 50 hostages currently being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip over a four-day long ceasefire: “I am relieved and heartened that the deal to release 50 of the 240 hostages being held by Hamas over a four-day ceasefire has been reached, with the possibility to extend the ceasefire by an additional day for every ten hostages … Continue Reading
November 20, 2023
Durbin, Duckworth Join Baldwin, Colleagues in Calling for Immediate Steps to Deliver Humanitarian Aid to Gaza and Protect Civilians
WASHINGTON - Today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) along with U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) led their colleagues in urging President Biden to work with Israel and international partners to implement a plan that will protect innocent civilian life in Gaza, deliver sustained humanitarian aid, and work toward the long term goals of ending Hamas’s threat, bringing hostages home, and achieving … Continue Reading
November 14, 2023
Durbin Objects to Partisan Bill that Dangerously Omits Funding for Ukraine
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today on the Senate floor joined members of the Senate Democratic Caucus in opposing U.S. Senator Roger Marshall’s (R-KS) request for unanimous consent (UC) to pass House Republicans’ partisan aid package, which includes funding forIsrael but neglects to support Ukraine in its efforts to stave off Putin’s unrelenting attacks and conditions support for Israel by offsetting other federal funding. In his remarks, Durbin emphasized his … Continue Reading
November 07, 2023
Durbin Reflects on Horrific Violence in the Middle East and Need for Long Term Peace Between Israelis and Palestinians
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke on the Senate floor on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. During his speech, Durbin remembered the victims of the October 7th horrific Hamas terrorist attack on Israel and commended President Biden’s emergency supplemental request to provide security aid to Israel, as well as the recent provision of humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians caught in the conflict. “The wanton slaughter of more than 1,000 Israelis and an … Continue Reading
November 07, 2023
Durbin Applauds President Biden's Emergency Supplemental Request to Provide Security Aid to Israel and Ukraine
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, today released the following statement in support of President Biden’s emergency supplemental request to provide security aid to Israel and Ukraine: “The scale and viciousness of the Hamas terrorist attack against the Israeli people are reprehensible, and I support President Biden’s emergency aid request to help Israel defend itself and free any hostages. Violence against the innocent—both Israelis … Continue Reading
November 07, 2023
Durbin, Duckworth, Murphy, Senators Call for Humanitarian Aid to Address Emergency Needs in Gaza
CHICAGO - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), along with U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Chris Murphy (D-CT), led 28 of their Senate colleagues in urging the Biden Administration to lead the international community in contributing to the United Nations’ emergency appeal of $294 million to address the immediate humanitarian needs in the West Bank and Gaza. Today, President Biden announced significant humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people in those areas. Durbin and … Continue Reading
October 09, 2023
Durbin Statement on Hamas Terrorist Attack on Israel
SPRINGFIELD - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement regarding the terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel: “Over the last 48 hours, my staff and I have received regular, direct updates from the White House on the horrific Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. We have also been in touch with constituents who have family in Israel, helping provide the latest information on how to connect with our embassy in Israel. The scale and viciousness of the … Continue Reading
May 10, 2023
Durbin, Graham, Grassley Meet With ICC Chief Prosecutor
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, along with U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), met with the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan to receive an update on its investigation into the atrocities being committed in Ukraine. U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) also joined the meeting. “The ICC … Continue Reading
February 17, 2023
Durbin Reflects On Russia’s War On Ukraine Ahead Of The One-Year Anniversary
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, spoke on the Senate floor ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Durbin began his speech by highlighting Chicago Chef Tony Priolo, who leapt into action to help the Ukrainian people, and who previously employed a young Ukrainian woman. Chef Priolo contacted the Illinois Restaurant Association and 30 chef friends, and less than three … Continue Reading
August 04, 2022
Durbin, Rubio, Tillis, Shaheen Call On Secretary Blinken To Impose Magnitsky Law Sanctions On Russian Officials Responsible For Poisoning And Jailing Of Opposition Leader Vladimir Kara-Murza
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) today sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging him to swiftly impose Magnitsky law related sanctions against Russian officials responsible for the arrest, jailing, and poisoning of Russian-opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza. The Senators' letter comes after the unanimous passage of their … Continue Reading
August 03, 2022
Durbin Statement On Senate Approving Sweden And Finland's Membership In NATO
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. Senate ratified the accession protocols for Sweden and Finland to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO): "With Russia's outrageous and barbaric actions in Ukraine and ongoing threats to others in Europe, the importance of NATO couldn't be more apparent. Today, the Senate overwhelmingly approved NATO membership for Finland and Sweden, adding two essential democratic … Continue Reading
August 03, 2022
Durbin Enthusiastically Supports Finland And Sweden Accession To NATO
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, applauded the Senate's upcoming vote to approve Sweden and Finland's membership to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). During his speech, Durbin reflected on his recent trip to Lithuania and the NATO summit in Madrid. "I stand in solid support of the accession of Finland and Sweden into NATO," said Durbin. "I visited Lithuania… I met … Continue Reading
July 19, 2022
Durbin Questions Director Of DOJ Kleptocapture Task Force At Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Seizing Illicit Russian Assests
WASHINGTON - During today's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled "KleptoCapture: Aiding Ukraine through Forfeiture of Russian Oligarchs' Illicit Assets," U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, asked Andrew C. Adams, Director of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) KleptoCapture Taskforce, about the task force's progress and if there is cooperation with foreign governments to track and seize high value Russian assets. "We've made a lot of … Continue Reading
July 13, 2022
Durbin, Tillis, Shaheen Introduce Bipartisan Resolution To Recognize Political Repression In Belarus
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced a bipartisan resolution recognizing the second anniversary of the stolen 2020 Belarus presidential election, the historic peaceful protests, and the continued heroic efforts of the Belarusian people. President Alyaksandr Lukashenka has ruled as an undemocratic dictator since the first presidential election in Belarus in 1994. The resolution was also cosponsored by … Continue Reading
June 27, 2022
Durbin In Lithuania, Sweden, Spain To Discuss Support For NATO & Baltic States, Opposition To Russian Agression
VILNIUS-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Baltic Freedom Caucus and the Senate Ukraine Caucus, is in Vilnius, Lithuania, today as part of travel to three European nations to discuss congressional support for the transatlantic relationship and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), as well as continued Russian aggression and interference in western democracies. In Vilnius, Durbin received the Aleksandras Stulginskis Star Award-only the second individual … Continue Reading
June 22, 2022
Durbin, Portman Meet With U.S. Ambassador To Ukraine
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Co-Chairs of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, met with U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink to discuss the latest events regarding Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine. They also discussed how the Senate can continue to better support our ally through military, economic, and humanitarian assistance. "As Putin's military continues to attack, innocent Ukrainians are forced to flee and … Continue Reading
June 21, 2022
Durbin: Amid Putin's War, NATO Is Stronger Than Ever
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, condemned Vladimir Putin's unprovoked and unjustified war in Ukraine. Durbin highlighted the bipartisan meeting with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), also Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and members of the Ukrainian Parliament last week. They discussed how the U.S. Senate can continue to better support Ukraine through military, economic, and humanitarian … Continue Reading
June 21, 2022
Durbin, Portman, Blumenthal, Grassley Urge Department Of Defense To Send More Advanced Artillery Rocket Systems To Ukraine
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), Co-Chairs of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, along with U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA), sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin urging him to send more advanced artillery rocket systems and ammunition to Ukraine, as the systems are vital in Ukraine's defense against Russia's brutal invasion. The Senators commended the decision by the Biden administration … Continue Reading
June 16, 2022
Durbin, Shaheen Meet With Evgenia Kara-Murza, Wife Of Russian Dissident
WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus, and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe, today met with Evgenia Kara-Murza, the wife of Russian dissident Vladimir Kara-Murza. During their meeting, they discussed his unjust detention and continued pressure to release him and other Russian political prisoners. The Senate recently passed Durbin, Shaheen, and Senator Marco Rubio's (R-FL) … Continue Reading
June 14, 2022
On Senate Floor, Durbin urges Release Of Political Prisoners
WASHINGTON - In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today highlighted the plight of political prisoners in four nations and called for their immediate release. All of these political prisoners have been outspoken in their support for democracy and basic freedoms. Durbin began his speech by highlighting Russian opposition leader Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was arrested in Moscow following an interview in which he called Vladimir Putin's government "a team of … Continue Reading