Trump's pressure stalls Russia sanctions bill as GOP allies warn pressure on Putin is slipping
A sweeping bipartisan bill to impose tough sanctions on Russia has stalled in the US Senate. After President Donald Trump pressed his allies to hold off on the legislation for now, its momentum stopped — and warnings are rising from within Republican ranks that American pressure on Putin is steadily slipping.
The bill proposes steep tariffs on countries that buy Russian oil and gas. It also includes provisions for secondary sanctions on certain Russian entities.
The bill's sponsors are influential Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal. Graham had come close to having enough Republican support to force a vote on the bill in the Senate.
But the momentum stopped after a phone call with Trump. Graham said the president asked him to hold off, and that he agreed. 'I trust his judgment,' Graham said. The planned procedural maneuver has therefore been shelved as well.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said last week that a vote on the bill could take place within 30 days. Now his tone is noncommittal — 'If there's a window of opportunity, we'll jump in,' he said, without offering any timeline.
House Speaker Mike Johnson has also made clear that the House will not act until the Senate moves first. As a result, the bill's future is suspended in both chambers of Congress for now.
Trump's argument is that his direct engagement with Russian President Vladimir Putin is more effective than congressionally imposed sanctions. He met Putin earlier this month, and another summit is being considered, although its location is still unclear.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the president already has the authority to impose additional sanctions if he deems it necessary.
Critics, however, say Trump is going soft. Senator Richard Blumenthal, the bill's Democratic co-sponsor, accused him directly: 'President Trump has gone from promising to end the war on Day One to enabling Putin.'
Those concerns grew after reports that Trump had pressured Ukrainian leaders to accept concessions on territory and security guarantees.
Republican Representative Don Bacon has also spoken out. 'Every delay gives Putin another week to kill Ukrainians,' he said.
European allies have moved forward with additional sanctions of their own, but European diplomats have privately expressed frustration at Washington's stalling.
All told, the bill is still alive, but there is no timetable for a Senate vote. One of the main instruments of pressure on Russia remains stuck in the calculations of US domestic politics.
