Posted on 06/02/2025 3:52:23 PM PDT by marcusmaximus
Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Monday the Senate could begin work this month on a bill imposing stiff sanctions on Russia – and secondary sanctions on countries that trade with Russia – over its war in Ukraine.
Thune said President Donald Trump's administration still hopes for an agreement to end the three-year-old conflict, but the Senate is prepared to help put pressure on Moscow.
"We also stand ready to provide President Trump with any tools he needs to get Russia to finally come to the table in a real way," Thune said in a speech opening the day's business in the upper chamber.
Thune told reporters afterward he has been discussing the sanctions legislation with the White House.
The measure would impose 500% tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other exports. China and India account for about 70% of Russia's international energy business, which helps fund its war effort.
The bill, whose lead sponsors are Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., has at least 82 co-sponsors in the 100-member Senate.
Graham said in Kyiv last week he thought the Senate could take up the bill as soon as this week, but Thune did not set that timeframe.
"I think right now they're still hopeful they'll be able to strike some sort of a deal," Thune said. "But as you might expect, there's a high level of interest here in the Senate, on both sides of the aisle, and moving on it, and it very well could be something that we would take up in this work period."
He was referring to the weeks before lawmakers leave Washington, D.C., ahead of the Fourth of July recess.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
They won’t do it over Trump’s head...so we’ll see.
My assumption is that it will be part of the budget deal in order to get Senate support for the budget.
“My assumption is that it will be part of the budget deal in order to get Senate support for the budget.”
I doubt that Trump will sell out the country that way, but who knows, you may be right.
Right after their 2 martini lunch.
It’s not a sellout to impose real sanctions on Putin.
I wish they would actually do a sensible budget on time for a rare change. Zero based if possible. Of course that would be like looking for unicorns.
This isn’t to give tools and support to POTUS Trump.
It’s to bypass him.
As soon as Trump says no, they lose 40 sponsors.
It’s policy, not budget.
It cannot be part of the big beautiful deal.
it will have to sink or swim on it’s own merits.
We’ll know by the July 4th recess.
I bet it will be a separate bill but will be voted on before the budget. It will allow the Demoncrats to vote for the sanctions bill but vote against the budget.
Trump needs to tell the Senate not to waste its time because any sanctions passed will be DOA if they reach his desk.
Europe is flushing itself down the toilet and we want to follow them down. Yes, sanction Russia. That’s a whole lot more fun than getting our house in order. DOGE cuts anyone. No! We are busy men sanctioning Russia. 21 M illegal immigrants. No let not get the courts under control. Were busy and serious men sanctioning Russa.
Putting this into a budget bill will only undermine the chances of Trump’s agenda passing and that is absolutely unacceptable.
That will NOT BE TOLERATE BY THE BASE OF THE PARTY. Period.
So, they want to cripple the economy with no benefit to American citizens.
Freep that.
The House will pass the Senate sanctions bill with Demonrat support.
Bingo. Congrats. Maximusassius is the clown here to district the hoi polloi with circuses while the grifting class to whom he owes allegiance goes off and wastes everyone’s time.
Eff China and Eff India.
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