Republican Sen. Ron Johnson said Sunday that the U.S. and Western allies must stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin in the face of "aggression" and "provocations" from Moscow.
"We have to have the resolve, I mean, we have to," the Wisconsin lawmaker and chairman of the Senate's Homeland Security Committee said in an exclusive interview on "Meet The Press."
"I wish Russia were no more than a friendly rival," Johnson said. "But unfortunately, they're an unfriendly adversary. And it's been their aggression, their provocations, that have really resulted in a relationship that is not healthy for the world, for world peace."
Johnson's comments come after the United States decided earlier this week to expel 60 diplomats from Russia and close the Russian consulate in Seattle following the poisoning of a former Russian spy in the U.K. Russia responded by announcing the move to expel 60 U.S. diplomats and close the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg.
