Overview
- A delegation of Russian Duma members, including Vyacheslav Nikonov, met with lawmakers and visited the U.S. Capitol and the United States Institute of Peace in Washington.
- Rep. Anna Paulina Luna organized the visit and posted photos with Reps. Eli Crane, Derrick Van Orden, Andy Ogles, and Democrat Vicente Gonzalez.
- The State Department confirmed the meetings with members of Congress and said a junior official would attend each session as a note taker.
- Lawmakers from both parties condemned the outreach, with Rep. Mike Quigley calling it a security risk and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen criticizing visas and waivers for sanctioned Russians.
- Luna defended the engagement on X as a push for peace, as the trip played out in the context of reports on Russian intelligence sharing with Iran and ongoing U.S. backing for Ukraine.