Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal are urging quick action by the US as Russia escalates its war in Ukraine, including the passage of a bipartisan bill they’ve introduced implementing sanctions on Moscow that they say could be the “sledgehammer” President Donald Trump needs to end the conflict.
The legislation, which would allow the president to levy a 500% tariff on imports from countries that purchase Russian uranium, gas and oil, has gained momentum in the Senate as Trump has signaled he will escalate US action against Russia.
“(Blumenthal) and I have got 85 co-sponsors in the United States Senate for congressional sanctions with a sledgehammer available to President Trump to go after Putin’s economy and all those countries who prop up the Putin war machine,” Graham said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The two lawmakers just returned from Rome, where they attended a conference focused on Ukraine’s recovery and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders. Blumenthal said European allies expressed to the lawmakers that any potential US sanctions would “have to be tough and rigorous to change behavior.”
Russia conducted its largest drone assault on Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion last week, launching 728 drones and 13 missiles in strikes that killed at least one person, according to Ukrainian officials.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters last week that he could bring the bill to the floor by the end of the month, something he had indicated he would not do without the Trump’s approval.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday he would bring a bill to crack down on Russia to the House floor if it passes in the Senate, telling Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo” there’s a “big appetite” in his chamber for tough sanctions.
Still, Trump has not yet publicly endorsed the bill, saying last week that he was “looking” at it and that the legislation will advance at his “option,” though Graham has said the president gave him the go-ahead.
In recent days, Trump has announced a deal to send US weapons to Ukraine through NATO and floated sending another Patriot air defense system to the war-torn country. He has also recently ramped up his rhetoric against Putin, a stark reversal from his previous, sometimes conciliatory, approach as his frustration with the leader grows.
The president told NBC on Thursday that he will have “a major statement to make on Russia on Monday,” and he also plans to meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte during his visit to the US early in the week, according to the alliance.
Graham and Blumenthal, who will also meet with Rutte during a dinner with lawmakers on Monday, predicted that Trump will soon allow NATO allies to tap into seized Russian assets to help aid Ukraine.
“Just stay tuned for tomorrow’s announcement; the idea of America selling weapons to help Ukraine is very much in play,” Graham said on “Face the Nation” on Sunday.
“We want to make use of the seized assets, again, in a unified way. I think a multifaceted approach here is the only way to bring Putin to the table, because he’s a thug,” Blumenthal said.
He noted that European countries are already planning to mobilize their Russian assets, and that “it’s time” for the US to also allow access to its $5 billion in seized assets.
Graham said Putin “has calculated that we would get tired and Europe would get weary. He made a huge mistake,” adding, “NATO is bigger and stronger and we’re more committed to ever to make sure he does not take Ukraine by force.”
“Congress is on the verge of passing the most consequential sanction package in the history of the of the country,” the South Carolina Republican said. “It will give President Trump tools he doesn’t have today, a literal sledgehammer.”
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