- Sen. Rand Paul met with Russian lawmakers in Moscow Monday and invited them to visit the US.
- A press release from the senator’s office said Paul intended to “continue dialogue on vital issues such as nuclear non-proliferation and combating terrorism.”
- If accepted, it would be the first trip from the Russian Federation to the US Capitol in almost three years.
A United States senator has met with Russian lawmakers in Moscow and invited them to visit the U.S.
Sen. Rand Paul said on Monday that American and Russian lawmakers need closer contact, noting that “our biggest problem right now is no dialogue.”
A press release from the senator said the invitation was to “continue dialogue on vital issues such as nuclear non-proliferation and combating terrorism” through the visit, which would be the first trip from the Russian Federation to the U.S. Capitol in almost three years.
The Kentucky Republican said after meeting with members of the foreign affairs committee for Russia’s upper house of parliament that he invited them to come to Washington. Paul added that Russian and U.S. lawmakers could also meet in a neutral country.
Paul argued that "those who believe in either country that we should not have diplomacy are greatly mistaken."
Paul has nurtured a close relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump and defended Trump after the president's Helsinki summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month.
The Kremlin responded to Trump's invitation for Putin to visit Washington late last month by saying the two sides need to "let the dust settle" from Trump and Putin's summit in Helsinki, Finland where Trump drew criticism for appearing too friendly with Putin in the midst of a number of indictments of Russians for election interference.