As the US Senators are pushing for a sweeping bipartisan sanctions package targeting Russia’s energy exports, “the only thing standing in the way is President Donald Trump,” according to Fox News.

According to Fox News, nearly the entire US Senate has united behind a sanctions bill authored by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democrat Richard Blumenthal that proposes imposing up to 500% tariffs on oil, gas, uranium, and other Russian energy exports. These measures are intended to put a financial chokehold on Russia’s war economy, particularly targeting its trade with China and India, which together account for about 75% of Moscow’s energy business.

Despite bipartisan backing from 82 senators, the legislation is stalled due to the White House’s reluctance to move forward. Republican John Kennedy, one of the co-sponsors, told Fox News Digital that “if President Trump asked me my opinion, I would tell them, ‘let’s go now.’”

Putin “gives the finger” to the entire world, Zelenskyy says after Trump’s call with Russian president

Trump’s peace talks falter while sanctions hang in the balance as Putin “not interested in peace”

The latest round of Kyiv-Moscow low-level talks in Istanbul on 2 June ended without a ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected Putin’s demands, including ceding large swaths of Ukrainian territory.

Graham and Blumenthal, who traveled to Ukraine during the Senate’s Memorial Day recess and met with Zelenskyy, have both expressed skepticism over Putin’s intentions. After a separate meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Graham stated, according to Fox News,

“It is our view Putin is not responding in kind, he is not interested in peace and that he plans to continue to dismember Ukraine.”

Blumenthal added that Trump “has been played” by Putin and described the Russian president as “totally unserious” about ending the conflict.

Sanctions seen as tool to support diplomacy

Despite Trump’s continued diplomatic efforts, other lawmakers told Fox News Digital they believe the sanctions would actually strengthen the administration’s hand in negotiations. Republican Senator Thom Tillis said the bill is a “real enabler” for the Trump administration, while Democrat Senator Tim Kaine said the legislation gives Trump leverage.

Fox News reports that Senate Republican leadership is waiting on direct White House approval before bringing the bill to a vote.

Graham has expressed hope that the sanctions will be enacted before next week’s G7 Summit in Italy, sending “an unequivocal message to China.”

US Senator Richard Blumenthal compared Ukraine’s recent long-range drone attacks against Russian air bases to the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden, Politico reports.

The Democratic senator from Connecticut Richard Blumenthal called the Spiderweb operation one of the great military achievements in recent years, according to Politico.

Blumenthal believes it refutes the “false narrative that Ukraine is losing the war.” He suggested the recent battlefield developments could influence Washington’s approach to Ukraine aid and potentially sway President Donald Trump, who the senator noted remains skeptical of increased support.

“They can strike air bases 4,000 miles from Ukraine; They can hit anywhere,” Blumenthal said. “Just in the skill and audacity of these attacks, it will rank with the United States raid on Osama bin Laden and the Israeli pager operation as one of the great military achievements in recent years.”

The White House has not commented on the Ukrainian strikes, though spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt previously emphasized that Trump was not informed about the operation in advance.

On 4 June, Blumenthal organized a closed-door briefing for senators alongside Republican Senator Lindsey Graham to discuss their sweeping sanctions bill targeting Russia and major energy customers including China and India. The Ukrainian delegation included Andriy Yermak, a top adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Deputy Defense Minister Serhii Boyev.

The bipartisan legislation, which now has 82 co-sponsors evenly divided between parties, proposes 500% tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil and other products. Blumenthal described the sanctions package as potentially a “game changer” designed to increase pressure on Russia’s wartime economy.

The senator indicated Congress could move forward with the sanctions bill regardless of White House support, stating that events on the battlefield might shift momentum among lawmakers previously hesitant to increase aid to Ukraine.