(AFP) – Four US senators said Friday they had reached agreement with President Donald Trump to advance bipartisan legislation targeting countries buying Russian energy — potentially clearing the way for stronger pressure on Moscow over its war in Ukraine.
Republicans Lindsey Graham and Roger Wicker and Democrats Richard Blumenthal and Jeanne Shaheen said in a joint statement they expected to unveil the updated legislation “very soon.” “As Russia intensifies its slaughter of civilians, it is imperative that the legislative and executive branches work together to create tools to exact a heavy price on those who buy Russian oil and natural gas, fueling the Putin war machine,” they said.
The measure has been under negotiation for months but has struggled to advance amid a lukewarm response from the White House and Trump’s shifting approach toward Russian President Vladimir Putin. The legislation would give the president authority to impose tariffs and sanctions on countries that continue purchasing Russian energy, a crucial source of revenue for Moscow’s war effort. China and India are among the biggest buyers of Russian oil, although the senators did not release details of the newly agreed version of the bill.
An earlier proposal envisioned tariffs of up to 500 percent on imports from countries purchasing Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other products. The agreement follows signs that Trump has become increasingly frustrated with Moscow’s failure to negotiate an end to the conflict, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. At a Group of Seven summit in France in June, Trump said Russia should “make a deal” and indicated Washington could restore sanctions on Russian oil that had been temporarily waived.
The president has sought to maintain relations with Putin while periodically criticizing both Moscow and Kyiv, but adopted a warmer tone toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during recent meetings. The senators’ announcement does not guarantee swift passage, and the White House did not immediately comment publicly on the agreement. But administration support could remove the most significant political obstacle to a bill that has attracted backing from lawmakers in both parties.
© 2024 AFP
