Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana criticized the Trump administration’s approach to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday as U.S. envoys concluded high-stakes talks in Moscow and Kyiv aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
Kennedy, a Republican, told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that the Trump administration should take a tougher stance with Putin. “This guy’s a pirate. He’s got blood under his fingernails. He doesn’t care about a bunch of pretty talk,” Kennedy said. “You don’t get any credit for kissing his ass. You’ve got to show him you mean business.”
Kennedy’s comments came as President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Russia and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv over the weekend. According to Reuters, Putin met with the envoys for more than three hours at the Kremlin on Saturday, with the White House describing the talks as “substantive” discussions on next steps toward ending the conflict.
Kennedy emphasized that economic pressure, not diplomacy alone, should drive negotiations with Russia. “We got Putin down. We’re choking him to death. We’re choking him. We’ve got to choke him to death. That’s what he understands,” the senator said. “I’m not putting down any of the talk, and I think talk is good and it can be helpful. But I won’t faint with surprise if our guys don’t come out of there without a deal.”
The Louisiana Republican pointed to a specific legislative failure as evidence of insufficient pressure on Moscow. Last week, the House failed to pass a Russian sanctions bill that the Senate had approved in August by a vote of 86 to 11, according to The Hill. “We should have passed that Russian sanctions bill, and we’ve got another chance to do it,” Kennedy told NBC News. “Then we ought to help Ukraine and help Europe.”
The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, which passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support, would impose penalties on countries and entities supporting Russia’s war in Ukraine, including tariffs on major purchasers of Russian oil and natural gas. Kennedy had championed the bill on the Senate floor in August, calling for swift action on the measure.
Kennedy’s criticism reflects broader Republican divisions over Trump’s Russia policy. While the Trump administration has pursued diplomatic channels to end the Ukraine conflict, some Republican lawmakers have argued for maintaining economic and military pressure on Moscow. Kennedy suggested the current approach risks appearing weak to Putin without demonstrating resolve through sanctions or other measures.
The senator also expressed doubt that Republicans in Congress would address inflation before November’s midterm elections, lightly criticizing his own party’s leadership for not acting sooner. “The Senate Republicans, about five months ago, for a reconciliation bill, we should have addressed it. We didn’t for a couple reasons,” Kennedy said, citing his inability to convince the majority leader to bring such legislation to the floor.
Sources
- NBC News — Sen. John Kennedy’s full interview criticizing the Trump administration’s approach to Putin, the House’s failure to pass the Russia sanctions bill, and remarks on inflation
- Reuters — Confirmation that Putin met with U.S. envoys Witkoff and Kushner for more than three hours at the Kremlin on Saturday
- The Hill — Report on the House’s failure to pass the Russia sanctions bill and roadblocks it faces in the chamber
- Congress.gov — Legislative record showing the Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 by an 86-11 vote in August
