Sen. Ron Johnson
Ronald (Ron) Harold JohnsonGraham: Trump will 'be helpful' to all Senate GOP incumbents Partisan headwinds threaten Capitol riot commission Cruz hires Trump campaign press aide as communications director MORE (R-Wis.) said on Monday that Russia had denied his request for a visa to visit the country next month as part of a congressional delegation.

Johnson said he had planned to visit the country to speak with Russian officials, businesses and others in consultation with retiring Russian Ambassador Jon Huntsman.
"Working with Ambassador Huntsman, I had hoped direct dialogue with Russian parliamentarians could help set the stage for better future relations between our two nations. Unfortunately, Russian officials continue to play diplomatic games with this sincere effort and have denied me entrance to Russia," Johnson said in a statement.
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Johnson, who is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the chairman of the Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, was expected to go to Russia next week as part of a bipartisan delegation to several countries.
Russia's denial of a visa for the GOP senator isn't the first time the country has lashed out at U.S. lawmakers. After Russian media included his name as part of a list of U.S. lawmakers who had been slapped with a travel ban, then-Sen. John McCain
John Sidney McCainCindy McCain planning 'intimate memoir' of life with John McCain Trump-McConnell rift divides GOP donors Arkansas state senator says he's leaving Republican Party MORE (R-Ariz.) said he "couldn't be more proud" of being hit with sanctions by Moscow.

Johnson and Sen. John Barrasso
John Anthony BarrassoBiden returns to Obama-era greenhouse gas calculation Indigenous groups post billboards urging senators to confirm Deb Haaland Senate confirms former Michigan governor Granholm as Energy secretary MORE (R-Wyo.) announced in 2017 that they had decided to cancel a planned trip to Russia after the Kremlin denied a visa to Sen. Jeanne Shaheen
Cynthia (Jeanne) Jeanne ShaheenSenators press Treasury to prioritize Tubman redesign Can Palestine matter again? Senate signals broad support for more targeted coronavirus relief checks MORE (D-N.H.), who, like Johnson and Barrasso, is a member of the Foreign Relations Committee.


Johnson subsequently went to Russia last year as part of a GOP delegation that traveled over the July 4 holiday.