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 ...
Maybe they should pass Trump’s Big Beautiful bill instead.
You should and you’ll understand why Musk’s AI thinks Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has been a big fat flop.
What Zeus’ Lightning doink?
After the 4 month summer vacation. Just fritter away a Presidency.
Wrong headline. It should read
SENATE MIGHT WORK THIS MONTH or
SENATE MIGHT WORK.
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