‘The Hammer Needs To Come’: Mike Pence Advises Trump To Stop ‘Velvet Glove’ Treatment of Putin

Former Vice President Mike Pence urged President Donald Trump to stop pussyfooting around Russian President Vladimir Putin if he wants to help stop the killing in Ukraine.

Pence appeared on Sunday’s State of the Union with Jake Tapper, who asked how it was “acceptable” that the recent Alaska summit between Trump and Putin ended without a ceasefire agreement.

“I mean, there are five Ukrainians who are now dead,” Tapper said. “I’m not blaming it on President Trump. It’s obviously President Putin’s fault. But if the ceasefire had happened on Friday, those five Ukrainians would be alive.”

Tapper added that “there are observers out there —people who like Trump, people who are rooting for Trump —who think that Trump got played.”

Pence said that serving alongside Trump for four years has given him a unique perspective on Trump’s “style” in dealing with dictators and authoritarians.

“It’s the velvet glove,” Pence said. “But I think the hammer needs to come and it needs to come immediately.”

Pence continued that in addition to welcoming Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the Oval Office, he needs to immediately encourage the Senate to pass sanctions against Russia.

I think at the same time, he ought to pick up the phone and ask Majority Leader John Thune to immediately pass the Secondary Sanctions Bill that is supported by virtually everyone in the United States Senate.

I think the combination of engagement, but also making it clear to Putin that we are prepared to take actions that would literally break his economy, even while we redouble our commitment to the security of Ukraine and to working closely with our European allies is important.

Look, I said it before, I’ll say it again… Putin has made it no secret of the fact that he wants to reassert the old Soviet sphere of influence —what we used to call the Evil Empire in Eastern Europe. And I think Putin only understands strength. So, while the president and his diplomatic team engage in this re-approach with Putin, and there seems to be interest in my judgment, Putin’s not going to stop until he’s stopped and until he understands that there’s going to be enormous cost to Russia.

Watch above via CNN.