Sen. Shelley Moore-Capito: West Virginia will welcome Ukrainian refugees 'with open arms'

WASHINGTON (TND) — West Virginia Republican Senator Shelley Moore-Capito warns if Russian President Vladimir Putin can kill innocent women and children — he can do anything.

Capito — along with a group of nine other senators — traveled to Poland and Germany to see the impact this war is having on neighboring nations.

“When we were in Poland, I was really struck by the incredible strength of the Polish people in helping their neighbor in Ukraine...both on the refugee side...we visited a refugee center...but also on the military side as well," said Moore-Capito to The National Desk’s Scott Thuman. “NATO and the United States need to be strong and support the Ukrainian military and the Ukrainian people. And we need to do that by providing lethal and military weapons and to help with humanitarian assistance.”

Capito said she was also struck by “what a monster Putin is.”

“He will bomb hospitals, places where they are known to have children and to see the fleeing parents and their children as they're coming away from Ukraine, leaving their husbands and brothers and fathers there, it's just an enormous tragedy,” said Capito.

President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. would help by welcoming up to 100,000 refugees as well as promising $1 billion in aid.

“Even from a small state like West Virginia, we've received a lot of phone calls from people within our state who are interested in helping the Ukrainian people,” said Capito. “I think we will welcome the Ukrainians with open arms and that's the American way.”

On Tuesday, Russia said they were reducing attacks in northern Ukraine as well as around Kyiv in an attempt to establish “mutual trust” in peace talks. Ukrainian negotiator David Arakhamia said talks on Tuesday had made enough progress to enable a meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Capito said she “wouldn't believe a thing the Russians say.”

“Vladimir Putin has lied. He's tried to do a campaign of disinformation — trying to blame the Ukrainian people for this immoral war where he's attacked a sovereign nation — so I wouldn't believe anything that they say,” said Capito. “I'm pleased that the talking is going on...but until it's solid — until I see those Russian tanks retreating permanently — I'm not going to believe anything that Vladimir Putin or his country says.”