'Stand up for democracy': GOP lawmaker accuses some of his fellow Republicans of echoing Russian propaganda

WASHINGTON – A Republican congressman said some of his GOP colleagues are echoing Russian propaganda in opposing additional U.S. military aid to Ukraine.

"We see directly coming from Russia attempts to mask communications that are anti-Ukraine and pro-Russia messages – some of which we even hear being uttered on the House floor," said Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, speaking Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."

Turner said he agreed with Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Tex., who told Puck News last week that Russian propaganda has "infected a good chunk of my party's base."

Neither Turner nor McCall named any names, but opponents have long criticized 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump over his relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

A growing number of Republican lawmakers have publicly opposed sending additional U.S. aid to Ukraine, or putting stipulations on funding for the war-torn country. Many of Trump's supporters in Congress, such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., have balked at giving more support to Ukraine, saying the conflict with Russia could suck the United States into a world war.

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For example, Greene last week protested a proposal to make Ukraine a member of the NATO military alliance, sharing on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, "Making Ukraine a member of NATO means that the U.S. will be going to war against Russia as mandated by Article 5. 70% of Americans are AGAINST this!! All we want is our own border secured, but Ukraine is more important to them. The start of WWIII..."

The Republican opposition is making it difficult to get an updated Ukraine aid package out of Congress. But despite qualms from a wide range of lawmakers, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is expected to turn his focus to Ukraine soon, potentially working with Democrats and Senate lawmakers to negotiate a package.

Turner on Sunday told CNN that Russia is succeeding in getting Republicans to cast the invasion of Ukraine as being about NATO, the U.S-Europe military alliance that is helping Ukraine resist the invasion by Russia.

"To the extent that this propaganda takes hold," Turner said, "it makes it more difficult for us to really see this as an authoritarian-versus-democracy battle, which is what it is."

He added: "We need to stand up for democracy. We need to make certain that we know that authoritarian regimes never stop when they start an aggression."