'Game changer': Bipartisan senators gunning for Russia sanctions ready to give Trump runway
Senators Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., have pressed for stringent sanctions against Russia and its energy trade partners, and they have been working to refine their bill to meet requirements from the White House that give Trump more flexibility.
The bill had been sidelined by congressional Republicans' push to pass the president's "big, beautiful bill" and had been eyed for a vote possibly by the end of the month.
But Trump's announcement that he would levy 100% tariffs against Moscow unless Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to end the war with Ukraine has likely again stalled that plan, and the bipartisan pair isn't mad about it.
"It sounds like right now the president is going to attempt to do some of this on his own," Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters. "If at some point the president concludes that it makes sense and adds value and leverage that he needs in those negotiations to move the bill, then we'll do it. We'll be ready to go."
The president's warning came after he agreed to sell weapons to NATO, which, in turn, would be sent to Ukraine to resupply their dwindling stocks.
"We're pleased that the president sort of buys into that way of doing business. We'll continue to work with the White House to see if we can provide him a tool that Congress has been working on," Graham said.
Their bill would slap up to 500% tariffs on countries buying energy products from Moscow in a bid to kneecap Russia's war machine by imposing duties on oil, gas, uranium and other exports, largely purchased by China and India, which account for nearly three-quarters of Moscow's energy business.
But that doesn't mean that work on the bill has ceased. Graham noted that having Congress' blessing "is good for the president" and could help him legally and politically.
"But between the weapons flowing and sanctions through tariffs on the table, I think we can say today was a game changer that we've been waiting on and hoping for, and on day 51 you want to know what happens," Graham said. "Call the Ayatollah."
Blumenthal lauded Trump's shift and gave him credit "for seeing through the mocking and flouting by Vladimir Putin." He argued that the bill, which has dozens of co-sponsors in the Senate and backing by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., had already made an impact and noted that Trump's move was like a "hammer."
"Our bill is a sledgehammer," Blumenthal said.
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