A U.S. senator sponsoring a bill for wide-ranging sanctions on Russia expressed hope it would pass the House of Representatives next month, calling it a "sledgehammer" to President Vladimir Putin's war funding efforts. The bill aims to sanction Russian officials and allow tariffs on top buyers of Russian oil and gas.
The potential passage of this sanctions bill could significantly impact Russia's revenue streams, potentially hindering its ability to fund the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and signaling a strong international stance against its actions.
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal expressed optimism that a comprehensive sanctions bill targeting Russia will be approved by the House of Representatives in the coming month. Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, described the proposed legislation as a "sledgehammer" designed to cripple President Vladimir Putin's ability to finance the war in Ukraine.
During a visit to Kyiv, where he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and other officials, Blumenthal noted the bill's strong bipartisan support in the House, following its comfortable passage in the Senate last month. He emphasized that Putin "understands only force" and that the sanctions bill would provide the necessary impact.
The bill's provisions include sanctioning high-ranking Russian officials and granting President Donald Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major purchasers of Russian oil and gas, such as China and India. Blumenthal assured that exemptions are in place to protect European allies from these tariffs, addressing concerns previously raised by some Democratic legislators.
Blumenthal revealed that he had requested President Zelenskiy to actively engage with members of the House of Representatives to advocate for the bill's passage. Zelenskiy had previously communicated with senators in Washington last month regarding the bill, which was voted on the same day as the funeral of its co-author, the late Senator Lindsey Graham. Ukraine's presidency has not yet issued an immediate comment on the request.