U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chair of the Europe and Regional Security Cooperation SFRC Subcommittee, announced that she will lead a bipartisan congressional delegation with U.S. Senators Rob Portman and Chris Murphy to Eastern Europe next week to reaffirm U.S. commitment to its partners. The Senators will travel to Lithuania, Ukraine and Georgia.

Shaheen and Portman will visit Georgia to send a bipartisan message that the U.S. stands with the people of Georgia in their efforts to strengthen their democracy.

“Ukraine and Georgia are important U.S. partners against an increasingly aggressive Russia and it is critical that we convey our solidarity with the people of Ukraine and Georgia, and encourage political leaders to continue making necessary reforms that will strengthen their democracies. We support Ukraine and Georgia in their desire to achieve their Euro-Atlantic ambitions, and the U.S. is eager to play a supporting role to make NATO and EU membership a reality”, - said Shaheen.

“I look forward to meeting with senior officials in Ukraine and Georgia and reaffirming our commitment to these strategic security partners. Both of these countries face severe external challenges from Russia and are striving to enact critical domestic reforms which are key to our continued support”, - added said Portman.

During their visit, the Senators will meet members of civil society and with representatives of the Ukrainian and Georgian governments, including opposition party leaders in Georgia serving as Members of Parliament.