ILLINOIS (WAND) - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin said the U.S. should be helping protect Ukrainians after visiting Europe to meet with allies. 

Durbin said he is committed to avoiding a full-fledged war with Russia. He believes there are steps America could take to help Ukrainian citizens during the Russian invasion. 

"We need to extend what's known as TPS, temporary protective status, so that any Ukrainian now visiting the United States can stay safely here in the United States until this conflict is over," he said. "That is a measure that I'm going to introduce when I return to Washington the first of next week."

Durbin co-chairs the Senate Ukraine Caucus and the Baltic Freedom Caucus.Â