Sen. Mitt Romney had a terse rebuke for Americans, including the media and members of the Republican Party, who have voiced support for Vladimir Putin and the Russian attack on Ukraine in recent days, calling such actions “almost treasonous.”
Speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday, the Utah senator discussed the attack on Kyiv, Russia’s threat to the U.S. and the world, and the pro-Putin sentiments within the GOP.
“A lot of those people are changing their stripes as they’re seeing the response of the work and the political response here in the U.S.,” Romney said. “But how anybody in this country, which loves freedom, can side with Vladimir Putin, who is an oppressor, a dictator, he kills people, he imprisons his political opponents, he has been an adversary of America at every chance he’s had, it’s unthinkable to me. It’s almost treasonous.
“It just makes me ill to see some of these people do that. … It’s disgusting. I’m hopeful you’re seeing some of those people recognize just how wrong they are.”
Asked specifically if he considered the pro-Putin remarks from former President Donald Trump to be treasonous, Romney stopped well short of leveling the accusation.
“I said it’s nearly treasonous,” the senator replied. “Standing up for freedom is the right thing to do in America. Anything less than that is unworthy of American support.”
Romney has long been vocal about his concerns regarding Russia and Putin. He was mocked in some political circles during his 2012 presidential campaign for calling Russia a geopolitical adversary to the United States, with President Barack Obama saying during one debate that “the 1980s are calling to ask for their foreign policy back.”
“I have clear eyes on this,” Romney said at the time. “I’m not going to wear rose-colored glasses when it comes to Russia or Mr. Putin.”
Romney didn’t seem interested in taking a victory lap Sunday. He called China the greatest economic and military threat to America long term. But the senator reiterated his longstanding concerns with Putin’s Russia.
“They support the world’s worst actors,” Romney said, citing Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. “They basically poke us in the eye whenever they can. …
“Russia, in a lot of respects is circling the drain, given their shrinking population, their weak economy. John McCain used to joke that Russia is a gas station parading as a nation. But they are a geopolitical adversary poking us where they can.”
Romney lamented the White House’s approach to handling Russia over many years.
“What does concern me,” he said, “is that we’ve had president after president — not just President Obama, but President Trump, President Bush — who were resetting relations with Russia, hoping as they looked in the eyes of Vladimir Putin they could see a responsible person. And John McCain was right. He said he looked in Vladimir Putin’s eyes and saw the KGB.
“That’s what we’re seeing, a small, evil, feral-eyed man who is trying to shape the world in the image where once again Russia would be an empire.”
Romney also lamented “tepid” responses to Putin’s previous attacks on Georgia, Crimea and U.S. elections.
“As a result, he feels emboldened to go into Ukraine,” Romney said. “We finally are saying no — partly because of people with phones and courage from the people of Ukraine. The world recognizes the difference between good and evil here. This, I think, is going to reset his calculation of what he’s going to do next.”
The Utah senator reaffirmed support for NATO’s Article 5, the mutual defense clause, should Russia attack a NATO country.
“We will respond with full force,” Romney said. “We have a responsibility. We are people with honor and integrity and we will fulfill our commitments.”
In the end, Romney expressed optimism that Putin would be stopped.
“The people of the world see him and see Russia for what it is,” Romney said. “We will fight for freedom. What we’re seeing is inspiring. It is powerful. And it will help change the world in a positive way.”
Follow @@aaronfalk