"This is a total insanity that they want to increase the military presences for the United States in Europe," the Republican said at the Valdai discussion club in Moscow.
"I'm afraid that what is going to happen is that it will cost us a lot of money, and we are borrowing money already. Now we will have to go deeper into debt, and if we do that the Europeans would never be able to increase their own level of defense, which is what they should do," he added.
A Democratic California congressman, Juan Vargas, who is visiting Moscow as part of a Congress delegation, said that Washington did not expect Russia to invade Europe. However, he said that the Europeans feared that possibility and wanted more troops on their territory.
"I don't think Russia has any intention of going into Europe. But I think they do, the Europeans do … Our friends are very nervous and they have asked us to come forward, they asked for more help, but I think we will have to debate more roundly in the United States before we come to a decision," Vargas said.
The delegation of US congressmen is visiting Moscow for the first time in three years.
