Former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) on Sunday said “there’s no question” that Russian President Vladimir Putin is behind the death of his longtime critic Alexei Navalny, adding that it would be worth it for House Speaker Mike Johnson (La.) to lose his spot as GOP leader to approve more aid for Ukraine.
“The best thing that we can do right now is to pass the aid bill that the Ukrainians need so urgently to help them continue what they’re doing to defeat Putin’s army in Ukraine,” Cheney told CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Cheney said Johnson is in a position to deliver a meaningful message to Putin by allowing a vote on the support package that has already cleared the Senate.
“It’s very unusual actually in American history to be in a situation where one man holds that kind of power who’s not the president,” Cheney told CNN’s State of the Union.
Cheney said that while far-right House Republicans have threatened to oust Johnson for simply allowing a potential vote on the package, the GOP leader should be willing to sacrifice his position to help the war-torn country.
“What I would say to that is he ought to understand that it is worth it if he has to lose his speakership in order to make sure that freedom survives, in order to make sure that the United States of America continues to play its leadership role in the world,” she said.
“He’s going to have to explain to future generations, to his kids, to his grandkids whether or not he did what was right, whether or not he was a force for good and aided the cause of freedom, or whether he continued down this path of cowardice and doing what Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin want him to do,” Cheney continued.
Navalny died Friday at a penal colony near the Arctic Circle, the country’s prison service announced, adding that he lost consciousness after feeling unwell during a walk and emergency services couldn’t revive him. He was 47.
Kira Yarmysh, Navalny’s spokesperson, said Monday both his mother and his legal team were blocked from entering the morgue where his body is allegedly held.
Meanwhile, the Kremlin has been cracking down on citizens who gathered across the country to pay tribute to Navalny, making over 300 arrests by Sunday evening, according to a human rights group.
Trump has so far not commented on Navalny’s death.
In a separate part of the interview, Cheney also called out the former president for saying he would “encourage” Putin to attack NATO members that don’t spend enough on defense.
“It’s dangerous, it shows a complete lack of understanding of America’s role in the world,” she said. “It’s disgraceful.”