N.C. lawmakers criticize Russia following Trump-Putin summit

The four congressional lawmakers who represent the Fayetteville area issued statements critical of Russia following President Donald Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday.

Here is what they said:

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, Republican

“There cannot be any equivocation: Vladimir Putin is to blame for Russia’s poor relations with the United States and the rest of the free world. It is Putin’s regime that illegally invaded Crimea, props up Assad’s murderous regime in Syria, assassinates dissidents on foreign soil, and meddles in the elections of the United States and its European allies.

“I’ve long maintained that America needs to take a strong position when it comes to Russia. While we should work with Russia on the specific instances where our nations share mutual objectives, we must confront Russia when they threaten the interests and well-being of America and its allies.

“Dialogue is not a bad thing, however, any meaningful improvement in our relationship with Russia must be solely dependent on whether Putin’s government starts to behave as a good faith actor on the world stage. Unfortunately, recent history casts serious doubt on if that is even a possibility.”

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, Republican

“The Senate Intelligence Committee has reviewed the 2017 IC assessment and found no reason to doubt its conclusion that President Putin ordered an influence campaign aimed at the 2016 U.S. elections with the goal of undermining faith in our democratic process. Russia has conducted a coordinated cyberattack on state election systems, and hacked critical infrastructure. They have used social media to sow chaos and discord in our society. They have beaten and harassed U.S. diplomats and violated anti-proliferation treaties. Any statement by Vladimir Putin contrary to these facts is a lie and should be recognized as one by the President.

“Vladimir Putin is not our friend and never has been. Nor does he want to be our friend. His regime’s actions prove it. We must make clear that the United States will not tolerate hostile Russian activities against us or our allies.”

U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, Republican

“In addition to invading Ukraine, Russia has consistently sought to destabilize democracies throughout Europe and Central Asia so it is not a surprise that our intelligence community has found evidence they sought to influence our elections. However, there is no evidence their efforts had any impact on the outcome or there was any collusion by the Trump campaign. As a member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, I have been and will continue to be a loud and consistent critic of Russia’s behavior.”

U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger, Republican

“Simply put, the Russians are our adversaries. They have armed terror in Syria, forcefully occupied sovereign Ukraine territory, and continue to be a substantial cybersecurity and espionage threat. Our intelligence professionals are correct to display vigilance towards Russia.

“With that in mind, it is my belief that the President is also working with a bigger picture in mind. Peace and security affecting Iran, Syria, Ukraine, and terrorists are paramount, while President Trump seeks behavior modification from Russia. As Americans, we should consider ways to unite behind our President and promote constructive engagement.”