This is reported by Kyiv24
American Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, one of the co-authors of the bill to strengthen sanctions against the Russian Federation, has called on his colleagues to urgently vote on this document. In an interview, he emphasized that the issue of implementing stricter restrictions on Russia requires immediate consideration.
Support for the Bill in the Senate and Its Significance
According to Blumenthal, the bill currently has the support of 85 senators, and this number could rise to 90 votes if necessary. The document includes, among other things, the introduction of 500% tariffs on imports from countries that continue to purchase Russian oil, gas, uranium, and petroleum products. This initiative was introduced to the US Congress in April by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal.
“Vladimir Putin does not deserve any additional time, and we need to expedite the vote on the sanctions bill. Everything the president is doing is in the right direction, but I strongly advocate for sanctions to be 500%, not 100%,” said the senator.
Blumenthal stressed that the passage of this law is an achievable and necessary goal. He highlighted the importance of not only the executive actions of the president but also the legislative initiative that will demonstrate unity between the president and the US Congress. According to him, this decision will serve as a signal to Ukraine regarding the fulfillment of American commitments.
Actions of the US Administration and Russia’s Reaction
After a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, Blumenthal and Graham stated that the US Senate may begin consideration of the bill very soon, as the document has broad bipartisan support. For the law to take effect, it must be approved by both chambers of Congress and signed by the president.
Ukraine has repeatedly called on Western partners to strengthen sanctions against Russia, accusing the Kremlin of deliberately dragging out negotiations to end the war.
In June, US President Donald Trump stated that he was prepared to impose stricter sanctions against Russia if Moscow did not demonstrate a willingness to cease hostilities or reach a peace agreement. On July 29, Trump set a 10-day deadline for Russia to make progress in ending the war against Ukraine, otherwise promising to impose new tariffs and other restrictions, expressing “great disappointment” with Putin’s actions.
The Kremlin reacted to these statements, indicating that they had taken them into account. At the same time, spokesperson Dmitry Peskov emphasized that the so-called “special military operation,” as Russia officially calls the war against Ukraine, continues.