Sen. John Kennedy criticizes the Trump administrations approach to Putin amid latest peace talks

Sen.John Kennedy, R-La., criticized Republican leadership on a number of issues including the Trump administration’s handling of the Ukraine peace process and Senate leaders’ response to inflation woes.Kennedy told NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday he believes the Trump administration should take a different approach to Russian President Vladimir Putin.“This guy’s a pirate.

He’s got blood under his fingernails.He doesn’t care about a bunch of pretty talk,” Kennedy said Sunday, as U.S.

envoys meet with leaders on both sides of the conflict.“You don’t get any credit for kissing his ass.

You’ve got to show him you mean business.”Last week, the House failed to pass a Russian sanctions bill that the Senate approved in August.“We should have passed that Russian sanctions bill, and we’ve got another chance to do it,” the Louisiana senator said.“Then we ought to help Ukraine and help Europe.

They’re doing OK on their own, but we can provide them intelligence.”Kennedy’s comments come as President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and the president’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Russia and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv this weekend.Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomes U.S.envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner prior to their talks in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Sunday.Genya Savilov / AFP via Getty Images“We got Putin down.

We’re choking him to death.We’re choking him.

We’ve got to choke him to death.That’s what he understands,” the senator added.

“I’m not putting down any of the talk, and I think talk is good and it can be helpful.But I won’t faint with surprise if our guys don’t come out of there without a deal.”Kennedy also weighed in on the ongoing military conflict with Iran, telling “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker that the war will “probably not” end before the upcoming midterm elections.Still, he praised the Trump administration’...