"He is a small man, both literally and figuratively. He likes to draw attention to himself, so I think we should just ignore him. Any statements from Putin really don't matter. The more attention we give him, the more it feeds his ego, and that's all he cares about," said Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick.
"Part of the bravado that President Putin is showing is aimed at the domestic audience. He wants Russians to see him as a powerful leader and to believe they have some secret weapon that can not only devastate Ukraine but also America, Ukraine's ally. So, I'm not sure there's much to believe in any of this," said Democratic Congressman Emanuel Cleaver.
However, he added that it’s important to stay alert and "take all necessary precautions."
"We must continue to stand up to Russia. I think Putin is a bit desperate after the issues in Syria and Iran. He feels weakened, and that's true. Ukraine needs to keep moving forward, and the United States must continue supporting Ukraine," said Democratic Congressman Glenn Ivey.
