Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said the U.S. needs to prevent Russian President Vladimir Putin from taking Ukraine amid fears of an imminent Russian invasion of the sovereign democracy.

In an interview Sunday, The Wyoming lawmaker stressed the U.S. needs to deter Putin by emphasizing invading Ukraine would be very painful for the Kremlin. Barrasso also called Putin a “predator” and claimed the Russian leader wants to put the old Soviet Union back together.