U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) today on Ukraine

“I strongly condemn the Ukrainian government's violent crackdown on thousands of peaceful protesters in Kyiv who were voicing their support for a democratic Ukraine. This is the second time in the last week that Ukrainian authorities have ordered Interior Ministry troops to brutally disperse these peaceful manifestations. The Ukrainian people have the right to chart their own future towards European integration and hold their government accountable if it fails to respect their democratic aspirations. I call on President Yanukovych to stop the violence and uphold the right of all Ukrainians to speak freely without fear of intimidation or suppression. We must stand with the people of Ukraine gathered on Independence Square and all over the country as they strive for democracy, where constitutional rights and the rule of law prevail.”