Republican Sen. Rand Paul was once one of President Donald Trump’s most prominent GOP critics, particularly during the 2016 presidential election.

But in recent months he’s become one of the president’s biggest allies on issues relating to Russia.

During a visit to Moscow on Monday, Paul invited Russian lawmakers to visit Washington, DC, expanding on Trump’s efforts to improve US-Russia relations.

Paul says his stance on Russia is simply about encouraging dialogue.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul was once one of President Donald Trump’s staunchest critics, particularly during the 2016 presidential election. But in recent months he’s become one of his biggest allies on issues relating to what has been a constant thorn in the president’s side: Russia.

In the latest example, during a trip to Moscow on Monday, Paul invited Russian lawmakers toand visit to the Russian capital came several weeks after Trump’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland, during which Trump appeared to side with the Russian leader over the US intelligence community on the Kremlin’s interference in the 2016 election.

Trump faced sharp criticism from politicians on both sides of the aisle for his remarks in Helsinki. But Paul, who during the 2016 campaign characterised Trump as a “delusional narcissist and an orange-faced windbag,” was one of the only figures in Washington who defended the president.

"If there wasn't such acute hatred for President Trump, such a 'Trump derangement syndrome' on the left…," a meeting with a Russian leader could have happened sooner says Sen. @randpaul. The blow back from the meeting, "really shows people hatred for