Lawmakers Urge Trump to Sanction Russia, Buyers of Its Oil
A bipartisan group of 27 House members, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Emeritus Michael McCaul, R-Texas, called on President Donald Trump Oct. 17 to impose “forceful new joint sanctions” on Russia and countries that buy its oil, to pressure Moscow to negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine.
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“Legislation to enact such new sanctions has broad support in Congress and we are eager to work with you and your administration to promptly use this powerful tool to bring Putin to the negotiating table,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Trump. The letter also calls for selling more weapons to Ukraine, including Tomahawk missiles, which could “threaten military targets deep inside Russia.”
In addition to McCaul, the letter was led by Reps. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio; Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa.; Mike Quigley, D-Ill.; Joe Wilson, R-S.C.; and Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y. Four of those lawmakers -- Fitzpatrick, Quigley, Wilson and Kaptur -- introduced a bill in April that would impose additional sanctions on Russia and new tariffs on countries that buy its oil and gas (see 2504020003).
Asked about potential sanctions Oct. 16, Trump said he hopes a "very productive" phone call he had with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the day might lead to peace (see 2510160038).
The White House, meanwhile, "is working with Congress to ensure introduced bills advance the president’s foreign policy objectives and authorities," a White House official said in a statement Oct. 17. “Any sanction package must provide complete flexibility for the president to continue to pursue his desired foreign policy.”