John Thune, the Majority Whip of the U.S. Senate Republicans from South Dakota, warned on the 22nd (local time) that if Russian President Vladimir Putin does not propose a genuine and immediate ceasefire, he will face new sanctions. Thune stated to reporters that the Senate would consider additional sanctions to pressure Putin into negotiations if Russia did not engage in serious diplomacy in cooperation with the Trump administration.
In relation to this, Senators Richard Blumenthal (Democrat, Connecticut) and Lindsey Graham (Republican, South Carolina) introduced a bill for more economic sanctions on Russia if it either refuses good-faith negotiations or launches further attacks after a peace agreement. The bill includes imposing a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries purchasing Russian oil.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen (Democrat, New Hampshire) mentioned that the bill might be introduced next week, emphasizing the need to show Putin that the pressure to enter negotiations for resolving the Ukraine conflict will increase.
This stance contrasts with remarks by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a recent Senate Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, where he warned that threats of sanctions could lead Russia to disengage from talks.
Thune mentioned that Congress is ready to act and is awaiting a signal from the White House. Some Republican senators urged immediate action against President Putin. Senator Todd Young (Republican, Indiana) expressed impatience, stating that it was clear Putin had been troubling the U.S. for months.
Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported on the 21st that after a call between President Trump and European leaders, following his communication with President Putin on the 19th, Trump said Putin believed he was winning the war, showing no intention of ending it. This direct acknowledgment by Trump is a first and contradicts Putin’s repeated claims of seeking peace.