McConnell, Cornyn join letter questioning Trump invite to Putin

A group of senators, including seven Republicans, sent an open letter to President Trump on Friday to express “serious concern” and press him to explain why he invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the Group of 20 Leaders’ Summit in Miami later this year amid Russia’s war with Ukraine.

“Given President Putin’s continued actions against the Ukrainian people and U.S. national security interests, we urge you to reconsider granting President Putin the stature and legitimacy to appear in the United States as a world leader at the G20 Leaders’ Summit,” the senators wrote.

Such a letter is common from Democrats, in this case the opposite party to the president. But the handful of Republicans who signed on went beyond the usual Trump critics in the GOP: Sens. Mitch McConnell (Ky.), John Cornyn (Texas), Roger Wicker (Miss.), Jerry Moran (Kan.), Thom Tillis (N.C.), John Curtis (Utah) and Alan Armstrong (Okla.).

Their support on the letter, which urged Trump to rescind any such invitation to Putin and any other sanctioned Russian officials, demonstrates how Senate Republicans generally still support Ukraine in its war with Russia and some have become more willing to push back on Trump amid his low approval rating.

The letter also cited the recently passed Russia-Iran sanctions bill, named for former Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who was one of the staunchest defenders of Ukraine in the Senate before his death in July. That bill increased sanctions on Russia, hoping to squeeze it economically as its aggression in Ukraine continues four years after invading that country.

But Russian officials have still been present at official meetings around the U.S. in recent months, the senators said, even those who are already sanctioned.

“It is troubling that, despite being sanctioned, these individuals have been given access to participate in G20 forums hosted in the United States,” the senators wrote. “The G20 is intended to foster international cooperation on critical issues including finance, trade and global economic stability. As Russia continues its war against Ukraine and refuses to agree to a just and lasting peace agreement, its government should not be afforded a business-as-usual treatment alongside other nations at G20 events.”

Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Wicker, the chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, sent a similar letter to administration officials in April questioning Russian delegates’ participation in meetings with members of Congress and executive branch officials.

The G20 Leaders’ Summit is an annual gathering of 19 sovereign nations’ representatives from across the world. The countries together represent 85 percent of the gross world product and more than half of the world’s population.

Trump is hosting it in December at his resort in Miami.