US Congress agrees with White House to tighten sanctions against Russia

Anti-Russian sanctionsUS Congress agrees with White House to tighten sanctions against Russia The group of senators represent both the ruling Republican Party and the opposition Democratic PartyWASHINGTON, July 10. /TASS/. A group of US senators say they have struck an agreement with the White House on the adoption of a bill to tighten sanctions against Russia. "We are proud announce that we have reached an agreement with the Trump Administration to move our updated Russia sanctions legislation forward. We are very pleased with this significant progress and expect to roll out the legislation very soon," Senators Richard Blumenthal, Lindsey Graham (on the Russian list of terrorists and extremists), Jeanne Shaheen and Roger Wicker said in a statement. They represent both the ruling Republican Party and the opposition Democratic Party. The key initiators of the bill, introduced in April 2025, are Graham and Blumenthal. Under the bill, the US will levy 500% import duties on any nations that buy oil, gas, uranium and other goods from Russia. Senator Rand Paul warned in a column published last year on the Responsible Statecraft portal that the country that would suffer the most damage from the possible approval of this bill would be the United States - both economically and strategically. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in January that the Washington administration considers this bill unnecessary, since President Donald Trump already has all the relevant powers in this area. 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