Pro-Ukraine lawmakers call out Russian delegation's visit to Washington

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Politico

03/27/2026 03:13 PM EDT
Updated: 03/27/2026 05:34 PM EDT


A Russian delegation’s tour of the U.S. Capitol, organized by the office of Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), is drawing fierce criticism from pro-Ukraine lawmakers, as the conflict with Iran threatens to pull more attention away from Moscow’s four-year war against Kyiv.

“Foreign political operatives of our adversaries should NEVER be allowed on Capitol Hill,” Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) wrote on X Friday. “This ‘visit’ opened the doors to a massive #security threat to the Speaker, to our Congress, and to democracy itself.”

Luna was joined by Republican Reps. Eli Crane (Ariz.), Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) and Andy Ogles (Tenn.), as well as Democrat Vicente Gonzalez (Texas), for a meeting, according to a picture posted by Luna. The lawmakers met with a Russian delegation, including Vyacheslav Nikonov, the grandson of an aide to Joseph Stalin, and several members of the Russian Duma’s foreign affairs committee.

They posed for photos outside the United States Institute of Peace and were seen walking through the Capitol’s Statuary Hall. “If I can come to the table in pursuit of peace, then everyone can,” Van Orden said in a statement, pointing to his three years of military service, “working to counter Russian- and Iranian-aligned threats across Europe.”

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/27/russia-lawmakers-washington-capitol-hill-00848559?shem=dsdf,sharefoc,agadiscoversdl,,sh/x/discover/m1/4

[tanyev]

1. They posed for photos outside the Institute of Peace that Trump has been trying to shut down

ever since he got back in office?

[BumRushDaShow]

2. He created his own scam "Board of Peace"

and was looking at the Institute of Peace building to station it - AP report: Trump eyes former Institute of Peace building for new Board of Peace headquarters (article from January so it might already be a done deal)