NEWARK, NJ - U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued this statement regarding ongoing unrest in Ukraine:

"The Ukranian people have the robust support of the American public in their pursuit of its democratic aspirations. President Yanukovych's support for the brutal dispersal of peaceful protests and beating of journalists constitute serious violations of peoples' basic rights, including freedom of assembly and freedom of expression. Ukrainians should not be forced to choose between a future in the west or the east. They should be free to chart their nation's future as they choose without recrimination or repression. The Ukrainian government should listen to the voices of its people and respond to their legitimate aspirations for democracy, honest government, and a better future."

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