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Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson said the Russian government had refused his visa for a visit as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation.
Johnson, chairman of the subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Council on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, had planned to meet with representatives of the Russian government, US companies and civil society organizations, according to a statement from his office.
"The path that Vladimir Putin has chosen for Russia is a tragedy of historical proportions. Instead of organizing free and fair elections, respect the rule of law and integrate the Russian economy to Western democracies, Putin invaded Georgia, attempting to annex illegally Crimea, led the war in eastern Ukraine, where thousands of people died, and supported a barbaric regime in Syria. who used chemical weapons on his own people in a war that caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, "Johnson said Monday.
"Ultimately, a new generation of leaders will emerge in Russia. Working with Ambassador Huntsman, I had hoped that direct dialogue with Russian parliamentarians could help set the stage for better relations between our two countries. Unfortunately, the Russian authorities continue to play diplomatic games with this sincere effort and have refused entry into Russia. Regardless of this little affront, I will continue to advocate for a strong and resolute response to Russian aggression – and open dialogue where possible, "he added.
A spokesman for the Russian Embassy in the United States did not immediately return a request for comment.
Johnson was one of the leading sponsors of legislation aimed at renaming the street in front of the Russian Embassy in Washington, after dissident Boris Nemtsov, murdered in 2015 on a bridge just in the afternoon. outside the Kremlin. He also led Senate resolutions calling for a stronger response against Russia after the attack and seizure of Ukrainian ships in the Kerch Strait in November 2018 and the cancellation of a controversial pipeline linking Russia in Western Europe, called Nord Stream 2.
Russia has blocked the entry of US lawmakers in the past. In 2017, the Kremlin refused to issue a visa to New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who strongly supported a bill on sanctions against Russia. Johnson and Senator John Barrasso, who had planned to visit the country with her, canceled their planned trip. A spokesman for the Russian Embassy in the United States said at the time that Democrat Shaheen was on a "blacklist" in response to US sanctions.
Johnson's statement came after President Trump launched the idea of readmitting Russia to the G-7 group of the seven largest economies in the world. Russia was removed from the G-8 at the time after seizing the Crimea of Ukraine in 2014.
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