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A bipartisan group of US senators has announced an agreement on a bill to significantly toughen sanctions against Russia, according to a report by Bloomberg. The bill, which could see a Senate vote as early as this week, proposes sanctions on Russia's top political and military leadership and restrictions on major state-owned banks and energy projects, while also introducing steep tariffs on countries that continue to purchase Russian energy.
The agreement was announced on Tuesday, as reported by Bloomberg. A procedural vote is scheduled to take place overnight from July 28 to 29, Moscow time. However, even if the bill passes the Senate, the House of Representatives is currently in August recess, meaning the measure cannot become law until at least September.
Coverage Comparison
The bill has drawn reactions from various quarters, reflecting differing perspectives on its potential consequences.
President Donald Trump has said the chances of the bill being passed are high, though he noted that key provisions, particularly those involving secondary sanctions on Russia's trading partners such as India and China, had not been discussed with him and still require review.
The White House, meanwhile, appears to be taking a more cautious approach. According to Dr. Mark Episkopos, Eurasia Research Fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, the administration is seeking to soften provisions of the bill and secure broad authority to waive the restrictions. Episkopos told TASS that instead of holding up the bill, the White House opted to negotiate its contents with the goal of moderating the language on secondary sanctions and ensuring the president's hands are not tied in negotiating a prospective peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
On Capitol Hill, opposition comes from some Democrats in the House. Representatives Brad Schneider of Illinois and Don Beyer of Virginia have spoken out against the bill, calling it a "backdoor attempt to greenlight tariffs of up to 100 percent on our major trading partners." In a statement, Beyer said the tariffs would raise costs on American families and destroy vital trade relationships. The representatives urged colleagues to block the effort, while expressing support for other legislative initiatives targeting Russia.
Senator Rand Paul has also warned that the bill could harm the US economically and strategically.
Key Claims
- Sanctions on Leadership and State Institutions: The bill proposes sanctions on Russia's top political and military leadership, as well as restrictions against the Bank of Russia, Sberbank, and Gazprombank. It also targets major Russian energy projects, including Yamal LNG, three Arctic LNG projects, and future Russian energy projects in the Arctic.
- Tariffs on Energy Buyers: Instead of an earlier proposal for 500% tariffs on imports from countries purchasing Russian energy, the revised bill calls for 100% tariffs on the five largest buyers of Russian oil and natural gas, as well as on five countries allegedly helping Russia circumvent Western energy sanctions. The bill also includes restrictions on the so-called shadow fleet.
- China's Potential Response: Experts warn of significant repercussions for US-China relations. Jake Werner, director of the East Asia Program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, told TASS that China would likely condemn the bill as a violation of sovereignty through extraterritorial assertion of US law. He suggested that if the administration fully implements the secondary sanctions against China, it could lead to a crisis in the relationship, prompting China to suspend rare earth mineral shipments to the US and impose proportionate retaliatory tariffs and sanctions.
- Procedural Status: The bill was formally introduced in the Senate on July 16, and a procedural vote is imminent. The timeline for final passage remains uncertain given the House recess.