A shekara ta 2008, McCain ya zargi shugaban Rasha Vladimir Putin da burin sake kafa daular tsarist. McCain ya ce har yanzu Putin yana mulkin Rasha, yana mai cewa "har yanzu shi ne mutum mafi iko da tasiri a Rasha", kuma cewa "A bayyane yake cewa burin Rasha shine sake dawo da tsohuwar Daular Rasha. Ba Tarayyar Soviet ba, amma Daular Rasha". Ta hanyar kai hari kan Georgia shugabannin Rasha suna haɗarin "amfanin da suke morewa daga kasancewa ɓangare na wayewar duniya". A cikinsa
Jawabin gabatarwa na Jamhuriyar Republican, McCain ya ce game da Rasha game da rikicin Rasha da Georgia cewa "Sun mamaye karamin makwabcin dimokiradiyya don samun karin iko kan samar da man fetur na duniya".