'Putin Is a Thug:' Senator Rick Scott Says Congress Must Hold Russia Accountable

WASHINGTON -- As Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine continues, Washington is debating how to sustain pressure on the Kremlin while confronting growing cooperation between Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea.

Senator Rick Scott, an influential Republican from Florida who sits on several key bodies and is one of the Senate's strongest advocates for increased pressure on the Kremlin for its war against Ukraine, told RFE/RL on August 4 he believes those challenges are inseparable.

The interview has been edited for clarity and length.

RFE/RL: We watched you last week actively lobbying for and co-sponsoring Senator Lindsey Graham's Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026. Is the time right for Congress to pass the bill, and do you believe President Trump would sign it?

Senator Rick Scott: Absolutely. Putin's a thug. It's despicable what he's done to the Ukrainian people and how many women, children, and grandmothers Putin has killed. It's important for us to stand for freedom.

You really have to admire the people of Ukraine. Last week, I invited two Ukrainian commanders here to explain what they've done with their drone technology and their warfighting, and you really have to admire them.

If you support what Russia is doing, then you should be sanctioned. There's no question about it.

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RFE/RL: You serve on several key committees and chair a Senate Armed Services Subcommittee. When you're making the case for this legislation to your colleagues, what argument do you emphasize most?

Scott: What I talk about is that we're living in dangerous times. There are despicable people who control countries and resources around the world right now.

You look at [President] Xi in China. You look at Putin in Russia. You look at the Ayatollah [Mojtaba Khamenei] in Iran. You look at Kim Jong Un. You look in this hemisphere at Raúl Castro, and before January, [former President Nicolas] Maduro down in Venezuela. We have people who want to destroy our way of life, so we're going to have to show up, and we need to support our friends. We should expect our friends to do more to defend themselves and understand this is a dangerous time.

We can't, on one hand, say Russia is this horrible place, but on the other hand not hold them accountable. We have to do that. The same thing applies to Communist China. We need to stop buying anything from Communist China because they're building their military while we're worried about them, and we don't explain to the American public that they ought to stop buying their products.

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The sanctions bill, in my opinion, is a step toward holding Putin accountable. I want Ukraine to win, and I want Russia to lose. Ukrainians are on the good side, and the government of Russia is on the bad side.

RFE/RL: When you speak with your colleagues, do you feel they understand that Ukraine is a much stronger ally for the US than many others in the region?

Scott: I think they're a great ally, and they've shown that people will fight for freedom.

What you really have to admire about the Ukrainians is that, in a very tough environment, they'll fight for freedom.

Look at what we think of the Israelis. They fight for their freedom. They're willing to fight because they want their kids and grandkids to live in a free environment. I think the heroism of the Ukrainians is admired around the world.

If you want American support, you have to explain who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. I think Zelenskyy did it early on. I think he could have done better after the first few months. But I think they're showing now their prowess.

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RFE/RL: Has Vladimir Putin underestimated America's resolve to continue supporting Ukraine?

Scott: Absolutely. I think Putin thought he could take advantage of Trump and take advantage of the Europeans. He did take advantage of the Europeans. I think he underestimated Trump's commitment to freedom around the world.

People have been surprised that President Trump is making sure Iran doesn't have a nuclear weapon. I think they're surprised that he's trying to hold Communist China accountable. I think they were surprised that he took Maduro on in Venezuela. The world has been surprised by Donald Trump's willingness to stand up for freedom around the world.

RFE/RL: You recently hosted Ukrainian drone commanders on Capitol Hill. RFE/RL was also first to report that the US and Ukraine have signed an initial framework agreement on drone cooperation, with a broader agreement still under negotiation. Why do you believe this partnership is strategically important?

Scott: I think part of it is that the Ukrainians have been very creative in what they've built, and they've been able to develop better and better drone technology.

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But probably even more impressive is the quality of their operators. With a very small group of people, they've been able to decimate Iranian and Russian forces.

I talked to one Ukrainian commander who, with 2,000 people, has destroyed more than $15 billion worth of Russian equipment. I talked to another commander who operates with a very small portion of the Ukrainian military budget but has destroyed about 30 percent of the Russian military because they've figured out how to do this very smartly with autonomous weapons, great training, and a constant feedback loop.

The people operating the drones are also talking directly to the people building the technology, so there's incremental improvement day after day after day. You really have to admire what the Ukrainian military has done.

RFE/RL: Would you encourage the administration to finalize that broader agreement as quickly as possible?

Scott: I've talked to people at the Department of Defense. I've talked to the president about the importance of working with the Ukrainians because you have to respect and admire what they're accomplishing.

I don't believe many people thought Ukraine would still be around. Even more importantly, they've taken this war to Russia and to the Russian people.

For quite a while, there was no downside for Russians. Now there's a downside for the Russian economy and for Russians because of what the Ukrainians have been able to do.

The difference is Ukrainians are not out just killing Russian citizens. They're destroying the Russian military, while Russia is trying to stop them by killing Ukrainian civilians.

RFE/RL: Ukrainians are also concerned about the pace of Patriot air defense production. President Trump has signaled he is open to granting Ukraine a license for re-production, although there have been mixed signals. What are you hearing?

Scott: When I talk to the White House, they're absolutely committed to Ukraine, and I'm very comfortable that they're going to provide Ukraine the weapons they need when they need them.

RFE/RL: You mentioned multiple countries—Iran, North Korea, Russia, and China. Do you see any connection between those four?

Scott: Oh, absolutely. There's clearly cooperation between them. They hate our way of life. They hate capitalism. They hate Judeo-Christian values. They want to destroy us. They want to control the world. They're going to work together to do it, and they have worked together to do it.

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We have to understand that there's a significant threat to our freedom and liberty in this country, but also to all of our allies who believe in freedom.

Putin doesn't believe in individual freedom. Xi doesn't believe in individual freedom. The Ayatollah doesn't. Maduro doesn't. Raul Castro doesn't. Kim Jong Un doesn't. They're going to continue cooperating to try to destroy our way of life.

RFE/RL: Is defeating Russia in Ukraine the first major step toward deterring that broader authoritarian alliance?

Scott: I think what the Ukrainians have done is show that corrupt dictatorships fail and freedom prevails.