Ryan: ‘I would not have kind words’ for Putin

Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Thursday called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “menace” and said he would have harsh words if he were to speak to him.

“Vladimir Putin does not respect democracy. He’s trying to do everything he can to undermine democracies, not just ours but all of our allies,” Ryan told reporters at his weekly news conference in the Capitol. “I would not have kind words to say if I were speaking to him.”

{mosads}Ryan’s comments came in response to a question about whether the Speaker thought it was appropriate for President Trump to congratulate Putin on his reelection during a call with the Russian leader. Trump has faced criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for the call, as Russian election observers and Putin’s opponents have alleged widespread fraud.

“I don’t know the content of that conversation, but my thoughts about Putin and Russia are pretty darn clear,” Ryan said.

Trump on Wednesday defended his decision to congratulate Putin, saying Russia can help the U.S. in a number of areas.

“The Fake News Media is crazed because they wanted me to excoriate him,” Trump tweeted. “They are wrong! Getting along with Russia (and others) is a good thing, not a bad thing.”

“They can help solve problems with North Korea, Syria, Ukraine, ISIS, Iran and even the coming Arms Race. Bush tried to get along, but didn’t have the ‘smarts.’ Obama and Clinton tried, but didn’t have the energy or chemistry (remember RESET). PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH!” he added.

Trump’s call to Putin came amid special counsel Robert Mueller’s months-long investigation into Russia’s election meddling and whether the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow during the 2016 presidential campaign.