If anyone could advise President Donald Trump on what his next move should be with Russia, it's Garry Kasparov.

For more than a decade, the former world chess champion has publicly challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin as a pro-democracy activist. While over the past year, Trump has repeatedly voiced support for Putin, both to reports and on social media.

Meanwhile, Kasparov—who was arrested and detained in 2007 and 2012 for protesting Putin in Russia—has been watching, and he hasn't been amused.

Kasparov tweet

In an interview with CNBC's On The Money, Kasparov said "Trump's admiration for Putin can be explained by Trump's admiration for strong man, for the way these strong men rule their countries." However, Kasparov, who now chairs the Human Rights Foundation, said he thinks "there's probably something more sinister."

In a news conference last month, Trump said, "If Putin likes Donald Trump, guess what folks? That's an asset, not a liability." The president has also talked about benefits of a warmer relationship with Russia. At least in theory, could that bring benefits to both countries?

"Dialogue is always good," Kasparov told CNBC, "but the question is what are you going to discuss and what price are you willing to pay for improving relations?"