American senators intend to seize the moment as President Donald Trump takes tougher measures against Russia, preparing a series of new sanctions bills. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has already introduced three initiatives: designating Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism for abducting Ukrainian children, expanding U.S. authority to use frozen Russian assets, and imposing sanctions on Chinese companies assisting the Russian military.
Source: Bukvy
However, the prospects for passing these bills remain uncertain — without Trump’s support, they are unlikely to pass Congress. Republican Senator Mike Rounds acknowledged that any action in this direction requires coordination with the White House. He emphasized that senators aim to work jointly with the president and provide him with clear powers regarding sanctions.
Trump’s influence over the Republican-controlled Congress has effectively made him the central figure in shaping U.S. foreign policy. Amid the partial government shutdown and the inactivity of the House of Representatives, any Senate vote risks being stalled.
Republican Majority Leader John Thune hinted this week that he may bring forward a bill designed to prevent a presidential veto — the legislation would impose sanctions on countries that purchase Russian oil. His colleagues Lindsey Graham and Democrat Richard Blumenthal have prepared their own version of a bill that would impose a 500% tariff on imports from states supporting Russia’s energy sector.
The first sanctions announced by the Trump administration have already targeted Russia’s two largest oil companies — Rosneft and Lukoil — along with their subsidiaries. The new restrictions have also created risks for buyers of Russian oil, particularly in China and India, significantly impacting the energy market.
Senator Blumenthal stated that these sanctions are “a step in the right direction,” but still insufficient to substantially reduce the Kremlin’s revenue from energy exports. Graham, for his part, emphasized that his bill could become an additional lever of pressure on Putin to compel him to accept Trump’s proposal for an immediate ceasefire.
Despite differing approaches, most Republican senators share a unified position with Trump. Senator Markwayne Mullin supported the oil sanctions introduced by the president but stressed that further congressional action would only be possible with approval from the White House.