WASHINGTON DC– As US President Donald Trump’s political pendulum swings back toward punishing Kremlin strongman Vladimir Putin for starting the war in Ukraine, more Republican senators are finding a safe space to air their positions about the atrocities that Putin has committed there.
On Monday, Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), the high-profile chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, urged a “different approach” to Putin, labeling him a “deceptive war criminal,” Kyiv Post’s Washington correspondent reports from Capitol Hill.
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The Mississippi Republican and US Air Force veteran delivered critical remarks on the Senate floor, commending Trump for his continued efforts to achieve peace in Ukraine, criticizing Putin for his aggression and war crimes, including bombing civilians.
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“Every time Ukraine and the United States have extended the hand of peace, President Putin has responded with aggression with one hand – Vladimir Putin always makes a show of participating in peace talks– with the other he has repeatedly bombed civilians, a clear war crime,” he said, highlighting the deadly Palm Sunday attack on April 14, when Russia bombed worshipers and children playing on a public playground, killing about 35 people, including children.
Putin, he said, has repeatedly taken the lives of non-combatant civilians and pummeled residential neighborhoods with bombs.
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Wicker asserted that Putin is solely responsible for the war, suggesting that if the Russian dictator stopped his aggression, the conflict would end.
“If Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine put down their guns, there would be no more Ukraine. That is a simple truth.”
Wicker highlighted Putin’s rejection of peace initiatives, such as a 30-day ceasefire proposed by Kyiv, and his violation of agreements.
He went on to add that Trump would soon decide whether Putin was interested in working towards a just end to the war, emphasizing that Washington’s actions had been contrasted with Moscow’s aggression, including targeting civilians, which is described as a war crime.
“This weekend, the Trump administration set a timeline for Vladimir Putin to choose peace, and I commend them for it. I commend Secretary of State Marco Rubio [who] said the president will decide soon whether Putin is interested in actually working toward a just end to the war. All signs indicate the answer will be no,” Wicker said, adding that he would be “looking forward to” Trump’s decision on next steps.
“Putin cannot be allowed to drag the United States along. The United States Senate is ready to back President Trump as he stands up to Putin on a bipartisan basis,” he said.
Wicker mentioned the recent introduction of the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, which has bipartisan support, with 25 Republicans and 25 Democrats sponsoring it. The bill aims to impose primary and secondary sanctions on Russia and actors supporting its aggression in Ukraine.
Putin, he concluded, has never engaged in any talks that were in good faith.
“He’s forged a trail of broken promises,” Wicker concluded.
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Alex Raufoglu
Alex Raufoglu is Kyiv Post's Chief Correspondent in Washington DC. He covers the US State Department, regularly traveling with US Secretary of State. Raufoglu has worked extensively in the South Caucasus and Black Sea regions for several international broadcast outlets, such as VoA, BBC, RFE/RL, etc. He holds an MA in Interactive Journalism from American University, Washington DC.
