A Russian delegation officially visited the United States Capitol on March 26. The visit sparked backlash from US officials who support Ukraine.
Context and details
Politico reported on the reactions. Staff organized a guided tour of the Capitol for members of Russia’s State Duma. The office of Anna Paulina Luna, who is a Republican, arranged the visit. The US State Department confirmed that the meeting was official. Authorities approved the delegation’s entry, and a State Department representative formally recorded the visit.
Each side sent five representatives. The Russian group included Vyacheslav Nikonov, the grandson of a close associate of Joseph Stalin, along with members of the Duma’s foreign affairs committee. The US side included mostly Republicans and one Democrat.
Luna said on social media that both sides met to discuss peace and bilateral relations.
“As representatives of the world’s two greatest nuclear superpowers, we owe our citizens open dialogue, ideas, and open lines of communication,” she said.
Reaction of pro-Ukraine officials
US lawmakers who support Ukraine strongly criticized the visit. Congressman Mike Quigley, a Democrat, said the meeting opened the doors to to a massive security threat for Congress and democracy itself. He also claimed that Donald Trump fuels Russia’s war by lifting oil sanctions.
“Russia illegally invaded Ukraine in 2022. Military aid and sanctions by the United States and our allies have been the ONE thing standing in Putin’s way of rebuilding the Soviet Union,” Quigley said.
Senator Mark Warner called the situation “terribly problematic” in a comment to Politico.
Criticism also came from Republicans. Congressman Joe Wilson accused Russia of heinous mass murder and said members of the war criminal Putin regime must not be welcomed in any way.
“I compare this meeting on Capitol Hill as having a visit by the Third Reich,” Wilson said.
Congressman Don Bacon added that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his cronies “hate America, hate freedom, and want to undermine the U.S. at every step.” He called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a “giant war crime”.
The debate comes amid accusations that Russia shares intelligence with Iran. The Kremlin has suggested it could stop supporting Iran if the US stops sharing intelligence with Ukraine. Washington has firmly rejected that idea.
Earlier, The Ukrainian Review reported that Volodymyr Zelenskyy said current Western sanctions and military aid are not enough to break the Kremlin’s resistance. He also warned that the war in the Middle East is diverting global attention from Ukraine.
