WASHINGTON — As President Donald Trump moves closer to the positions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Republicans in Congress who have long been critical of the Russian regime have tempered their criticism.

What You Need To Know

  • President Donald Trump appears to be aligning his policy positions with Russian President Vladimir Putin

  • Trump has ended former President Joe Biden’s policy of isolating Putin for invading Ukraine by normalizing relations with Russia, sidelining Ukraine from discussions about its own future

  • Republicans including Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, emphasize actions over rhetoric, while others like Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, suggest Zelenskyy and his relationship with European leaders have not been helpful 

President Trump’s social media post on Wednesday calling Ukraine President Volodymr Zelenskyy “a dictator without elections” came just days after Zelenskyy met with U.S. senators who are usually hawkish on Russia. 

Zelenskyy and the lawmakers were part of a panel at the Munich Security Conference, which also included Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. 

“We need to recognize that Putin is driven by a vision of restoring the Russian Empire, and that’s why I believe that he won’t stop at Ukraine, and that’s why it’s so important that we must stop him together in Ukraine,” Cornyn said last week on the panel. 

Cornyn, who is up for reelection next year, was asked about his reaction was to Trump’s comments about Zelenskyy. 

“What matters more is actions rather than rhetoric. I understand passions get high,” Cornyn said. “I think what’s more important is what the actions are. And I know that President Trump is working with his envoy, Gen. [Keith] Kellogg, to try to figure out how to negotiate peace in Ukraine, something I would think we would all aspire to.”

Last week, Trump spoke with Putin by phone, and that led to direct negotiations Tuesday between senior officials of both nations. The talks ended former President Joe Biden’s policy of isolating Putin for invading Ukraine. Normalizing relations with Putin came without having to make any concessions in return. In another surprise, Ukraine was excluded from the talks about its own future.

Republicans in Congress have largely given deference to Trump or have not commented directly on his shifting Russia strategy. 

“The president is trying to negotiate that resolution. My hope is it is a resolution where the war ends and it is a clear and an indisputable loss for Putin and loss for Russia. That’s the outcome I want to see. I think that’s the outcome that’s good for America. I will say this, I don’t think President Zelenskyy is doing himself any favors by running to the European press and attacking President Trump,” Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said on Fox Business Network’s “Kudlow.”

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, who also met with Zelenskyy at the Munich Security Conference, offered an alternative to Ukraine’s admission into The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a post-World War II transatlantic security alliance.

“When it comes to blame for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I blame Putin above all others,” Graham wrote on social media. 

He went on to say, “Ukraine’s best hope to end this war honorably and justly. I believe he will be successful and he will achieve this goal in the Trump way.”

This comes as Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, the longtime Republican leader in the Senate, announced Thursday he is not seeking reelection. McConnell has been one of the staunchest defenders of U.S. aid to Ukraine and had been at odds with Trump over such funding. McConnell didn’t mention Ukraine in his remarks Thursday but said Congress has a duty to provide for the common defense.