The US Senate to postpone consideration of bill on sanctions against Russia

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he would delay advancing the Russia sanctions bill.

Politico writes about this.

"It looks like the president is going to do some of this on his own right now. If at some point the president decides it makes sense and brings more benefit and leverage to the negotiations, then we will do it. We will be ready to act," Tun told reporters.

A day earlier, Trump threatened to impose "secondary tariffs" of up to 100% on countries that continue to trade with Russia.

“We will impose secondary tariffs if there is no [peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine] within 50 days,” Trump said during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

The bill, authored by Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal and supported by 85 senators, gives Trump the authority to impose secondary tariffs of 500% on goods from countries such as China, Brazil and India that still buy energy goods from Russia.

It would also authorize Trump to raise tariffs on remaining US imports from Russia by at least 500%, although this would likely have less of an effect than secondary tariffs, as previous sanctions had already significantly reduced trade with Moscow.

Thune suggested that Trumpʼs threat means the Senate no longer needs to pass the Graham-Blumenthal bill.

The House of Representatives shares a similar view. Asked if a sanctions bill would be introduced before the Houseʼs summer recess this month, Majority Leader Steve Scalise said, "Not now."

He suggested that Trumpʼs unilateral actions could completely replace a separate sanctions bill.

Trumpʼs position on sanctions against Russia

Reuters reported that Donald Trumpʼs associates are pressuring him to support sanctions against Russia.

For several months of his presidency, Trump has refrained from imposing new sanctions on Russia, believing that doing so could foster a productive relationship with Putin to end the war in Ukraine. And overall, he views sanctions as an overused and often ineffective tool, the agency noted.

White House officials say Trump sees the sanctions as an escalation of tensions with Moscow. But aides say Trumpʼs frustration with Putin is genuine and growing. They note that Trump has been seriously considering imposing sanctions on Russia since Mayʼs devastating Russian attacks on Ukraine.

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