Sen. Bob Menendez (D., N.J.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said it is clear that Russia is invading Ukraine Sunday morning.
Menendez has been in Kiev this weekend and found that the Russian army's presence is noticeable enough that they can no longer be mistaken for pro-Russian separatists.
MENENDEZ: Well, I think that was his initial assessment. There are those in Europe and elsewhere who says we don't want to provoke Putin. Well Putin doesn't need provocation. In this case weakness is a greater provocation for Putin to strike. Putin understands two things and that's strength because of the economic consequences we can less via on Russia and hopefully the European Union will move with us into more significant sectoral sanctions and also the costs to Russians as they send their sons and daughters back in body bags to Russia and Russian mothers say what is happening here? And that will come if the Ukrainians have the wherewithal -- they are more than willing to fight and they've showed a tremendous resilience and showed a lot of restraint but it's at a point where Russia has come, invaded with thousands of troops, with missiles, with tanks. This is no longer the question of some rebel separatists, this is a direct invasion by Russia. We must recognize it as that. When I read the headlines back at home that suggests rebels are advancing in different parts of Eastern Ukraine it's not rebels it's Russian Soldiers.
When pressed by CNN's Candi Crowley on if the U.S. should intervene past sanctions, Menendez eased off from his aggressive rhetoric and recommended that properly arming Ukraine to defend itself against Putin should be discussed at NATO summit this week.