The Republican chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee urged President Donald Trump to "at least" sanction Russia and President Vladimir Putin following mounting attacks on Ukraine.
Russia reportedly attacked Ukraine on Monday for the third night in a row, a day after the largest drone attack of the more than 3-year-old war killed at least 12 people between Friday and Sunday and was condemned by Trump.
"I've had enuf of Putin killing innocent ppl," Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote in a post on X. "Pres Trump Take action AT LEAST SANCTIONS."
Grassley, 91, the oldest member of Congress, is a member of the Senate Ukraine Caucus and a proponent of the U.S. continuing financial and military assistance to the war-torn country. In April, he expressed a similar sentiment in a post on X.
"IVE SEEN ENOUGH KILLING OF INNOCENT UKRAINIAN women + children," Grassley wrote. "President Trump pls put the toughest of sanctions on Putin. U ought to c from clear evidence that he is playing America as a patsy."
The Trump administration has been trying to broker peace in the conflict after the Biden administration refused to engage with the Kremlin. But even Trump, who vowed a quick end to the war if elected to a second term, appears to be frustrated with Putin.
"I've always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him," Trump wrote Sunday in a post on Truth Social. "He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I'm not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever. I've always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that's proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!"
Trump also directed his anger at Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
"Likewise, President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does," Trump wrote. "Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don't like it, and it better stop. This is a War that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy's, Putin's, and Biden's War, not 'Trump's.' I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred."
Trump has maintained existing sanctions on Russia and has threatened to impose stricter ones. Senate Republicans reportedly are warning Russia that they're prepared to pass punishing sanctions if Putin refuses to engage in ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine or breaches an eventual agreement.
The Trump administration has been resistant to new sanctions, arguing that new economic penalties risk pushing Russia away from talks.
"The president's belief is … right now, [if] you start threatening sanctions, the Russians will stop talking," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said May 20 at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing. "And there's value in us being able to talk to them and drive them to get to the table."
Newsmax reached out to the White House for comment.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.