Donald Trump’s reluctance to pressure Vladimir Putin on Ukraine has forced senators, who prepared a bill imposing 500% tariffs on countries buying Russian energy, to slow down its adoption, reports The Moscow Times.
Despite significant support for the bill, the White House has even begun lobbying for its softening.
Just last week, co-author of the bill Lindsey Graham and Senate Republican Majority Leader John Thune confidently stated that its consideration in Congress could begin as early as June. Both emphasized that they were consulting with the White House. However, on Thursday, when asked by a journalist about the document, Trump declared that he “hadn’t looked at it.” At the same time, he described it as a “harsh bill, very tough,” but added that he would do what he wants “at the right time.” He also compared Russia and Ukraine to quarreling children who “should be allowed to fight a little.”
Trump’s comments have stalled the process of adopting the bill, which seemed to be gaining momentum, Bloomberg writes. Although the Senate, with 82 votes out of 100, could even overcome a potential presidential veto, lawmakers are not showing willingness to go against his will, the agency states.
Graham, who previously announced that he wanted the bill to pass through the Senate by the G7 summit from June 15-17 in Canada, appears to have lowered his ambitions after Trump’s comments. “From day one, I have been closely coordinating my activities with the White House,” he wrote on X.
According to congressional aides, representatives of the presidential administration have contacted Graham’s office in recent weeks with a request to soften the bill – specifically, to allow Trump himself to decide which countries to sanction, The Wall Street Journal reported late last week. Another request was to replace the words “shall” with “may” throughout the bill, which would remove the president’s obligation to comply with lawmakers’ demands.
While considering amendments to a bill is common practice, the White House’s demands, according to congressional staff, would render the bill useless, given that Trump already has the ability to impose sanctions independently.
For now, Graham has announced one reasonable limitation: according to him, he plans to make an exception for countries that are helping Ukraine defend itself against Russia. The U.S. could exempt countries assisting Ukraine from the “hellish sanctions” against Russia.
Republican Senator Rand Paul also spoke out against the bill, stating that it provokes a “self-destructive economic war,” The Hill writes. In his opinion, the proposed measures would not be effective, would undermine Trump’s efforts to achieve peace, and would lead to a sharp jump in oil and gas prices.
“This bill will not make China or India change their behavior, but it will essentially impose an embargo against ourselves, which will hit American families.”
“It’s a risky but bold proposal,” says Ben Harris, director of economic research at the Brookings Institution. According to Ukrainian officials’ estimates, suspending oil exports would cost Russia $60 billion annually – roughly the amount it currently spends on the war.
The bill gives Trump room to maneuver, Bloomberg writes, as for the maximum sanctions to be applied, the administration would have to confirm that Russia is not seriously interested in peace talks or has violated a ceasefire.
Furthermore, the bill formalizes many already introduced sanctions against Russia – from financial and trade restrictions to bans on entry to the U.S. for high-ranking Russian officials. This would complicate any attempts by the administration to conclude potential economic agreements with Moscow, which Trump – despite the war – seeks to establish without tying them to the end of the conflict.
