House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said they will be going ahead with new sanctions on Russia.
"[Russian President] Vladimir Putin has shown an unwillingness to be reasonable and to talk seriously about brokering a peace, and I think we have to send him a message — that's my view," Johnson said to reporters.
Thune said the Senate is working with the White House on legislation to help give President Donald Trump leverage to end Russia's war with Ukraine. Thune said he is expected to have the bill ready before the August recess.
The Senate bill would have bipartisan support, but Thune has been waiting for a clear signal from the Trump administration before moving forward, Politico said.
The move comes as Trump has ramped up his criticism of Putin and the Kremlin's unwillingness to negotiate a ceasefire.
Trump said Tuesday he was considering supporting a bill that would impose steep sanctions on Russia, including 500% tariffs on nations that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other exports.
"We get a lot of bull***t thrown at us by Putin … He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless," Trump said at a Cabinet meeting.
Overnight, Russia targeted Ukraine with a record 728 drones. The attack was the latest in a series of escalating air assaults in recent weeks that have involved hundreds of drones in addition to ballistic missiles straining Ukrainian air defenses at a perilous moment in the war, now in its fourth year.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Sam Barron ✉
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