Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) slammed President Donald Trump for getting into bed with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin in a searing interview on CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront” on Monday night.

Tillis made the media appearance just after speaking with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and relayed what he learned from the conversation, as well as what he saw himself during a recent trip to Kyiv.

“I saw what this murderer Vladimir Putin has ordered,” he shared. “I heard the stories about women being raped in front of their husbands and then their husbands assassinated. I went to schools that are meeting in subways ... because they can’t meet above ground.”

In recent weeks, Trump has eased sanctions on Russia, restricted Ukrainian access to battlefield technology and called for Zelenskyy to be ousted. The moves have been met with shock from experts and politicians on both sides of the aisle.

“Russians are lying,” Tillis said emphatically. “Putin is lying. Putin is playing President Trump like a fiddle, and history is not going to look good on an America that failed to rise up and defend the Western world if Putin actually gets his way.”

On Monday, Trump reaffirmed his lax stance on Russia, saying that the aggressor, “frankly, has been fine on Ukraine.”

“They haven’t been doing much,” Trump said to a gaggle of reporters outside the White House.

Tillis, who is not seeking reelection this November, isn’t alone in his criticism.

“I think it’s clear Russia is the aggressor, and we’ve got to do everything we can to put economic pressure on Russia,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) told The Associated Press last week.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) put it more bluntly, saying that “by giving the Russian economy life support, Trump’s deal with the devil keeps getting dirtier.”

By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.