The United States Senate will not be considering a bill to impose new sanctions against the Russian Federation, as well as buyers of Russian energy resources, in the near future. This decision was explained by Senate Republican Majority Leader John Thune.
This is reported by Finway
“If at some point the president decides that advancing the bill would make sense and add value and leverage that he needs in these negotiations, then we will do it. We will be ready,” Thune said.
Trump’s Ultimatum Influences the Sanctions Process
US President Donald Trump has given the Russian leadership a 50-day deadline to reach an agreement to end the war. If a peace agreement is not reached within this time, he promised to impose tariffs against Russia and its trading partners. Currently, according to John Thune, this statement from the head of state reduces the necessity of passing a separate sanctions bill developed by Senators Graham and Blumenthal. The passage of this document in the House of Representatives has also become unlikely.
International Reaction and the Role of Allies
Congress Majority Leader Steve Scalise believes that Trump’s actions may allow for the avoidance of additional legal procedures regarding sanctions. He emphasized that President Trump has the best chance of getting Putin to the negotiating table and agreeing to peace terms.
At the same time, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has called on China, India, and Brazil to pressure Putin and demand an end to the aggression against Ukraine. According to him, if these countries want to avoid secondary sanctions, they should directly influence the Russian authorities.