House Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “vicious dictator” following confirmation that Mr. Putin’s rival Alexei Navalny died in a Siberian penal colony.
“Vladimir Putin is a vicious dictator, and the world knows he is likely directly responsible for the sudden death of his most prominent political opponent, Alexei Navalny,” Mr. Johnson, Louisiana Republican, said. “Putin has shown his willingness to use extreme measures, including the use of radioactive material, to attack his enemies and expand his power.”
News of Mr. Navalny’s death, which was confirmed by the TASS Russian media outlet, comes as other members of Congress and world leaders are meeting in Germany at the Munich Security Conference.
Mr. Johnson, Louisiana Republican, stayed in Washington and noted that the leaders attending the conference and lawmakers at home “must be clear that Putin will be met with united opposition.”
“As Congress debates the best path forward to support Ukraine, the United States, and our partners, must be using every means available to cut off Putin’s ability to fund his unprovoked war in Ukraine and aggression against the Baltic states,” he said.
This stance comes as Mr. Johnson and the GOP have blocked two Senate foreign aid packages that include billions of dollars in humanitarian and military assistance for Ukraine.
Continuing a funding pipeline is a prickly subject for some members of the House GOP, including the speaker, who contend that the Biden administration must provide an end-game strategy in the region before approving more aid.
Mr. Johnson has been denied a second meeting with President Biden on how to move forward with Ukraine aid and border security, and with another deadline to fund the government looming it’s unlikely Congress will tackle the issue again soon.
A cheaper and more streamlined aid package was introduced Friday by a group of centrist House Republicans and Democrats, underscoring the urgency that lawmakers feel in getting Ukraine more funding in its war against Russia, but the group has no guarantee from the speaker that it will get a floor vote.
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.