McCain On New Russia Sanctions: Only Weaker Response Is ‘Doing Nothing’

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., center, speaks during a news conference in Kiev, Ukraine, Saturday, March 15, 2014. McCain and a team of seven other senators concluded their visit in Kiev on Saturday with a news conf... U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., center, speaks during a news conference in Kiev, Ukraine, Saturday, March 15, 2014. McCain and a team of seven other senators concluded their visit in Kiev on Saturday with a news conference in which they reaffirmed their support to the interim Ukrainian government. (AP Photo/David Azia) MORE LESS
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Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) on Monday said that the Obama administration’s decision to freeze the U.S. assets of seven Russian officials was not enough.

“And this President’s response, I don’t know how it could have been weaker besides doing nothing,” McCain said on MSNBC’s “Andrea Mitchell Reports.”

McCain added that President Obama and his staff have been naive about Putin, whose forces have occupied neighboring Crimea.

“I don’t know when the President and his advisers will wake up to what Putin is all about. We’ve got to start with the fundamental reassessment of our relationship with him,” he said.

Obama’s decision to impose sanctions made him “less optimistic” about U.S. ability to limit Russia’s aggression in eastern Ukraine, Mccain said, and he urged the President to consider a tougher response to Putin.

“He should have said we’re going to provide military assistance to Ukraine, but to not do that after this country has lost a large part of its territory due to Russian aggression,” he said.

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