US Lawmakers Rally Against Russian ‘Bullying’

A large group of bipartisan US lawmakers – half of the Senate, led by key Republican Senator Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) and Democrat Richard Blumenthal (Connecticut) – on Tuesday introduced a bill intended to pressure Russia into peace negotiations.

The legislation calls for both primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and its enablers if the Kremlin refuses to engage in good faith negotiations for peace with Ukraine, “or initiates another effort, including military invasion, that undermines the sovereignty of Ukraine after peace is negotiated,” as they put it.

The legislation, called “The Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025” would also impose a 500 percent tariff on imported goods from countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other products. “They are hard hitting for a reason,” Graham and Blumenthal said in a joint statement.

“The dominating view in the United States Senate is that Russia is the aggressor, and that this horrific war and Putin’s aggression must end now and be deterred in the future,” the pair added.

The authors went on to express hope that in 2025, President Trump and his team will succeed in ending Russian aggression against Ukraine permanently. 

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UK Royal Marines Intercept Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker in the English Channel

Early Sunday morning, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer directed British Armed Forces to intercept the SMYRTOS, an oil tanker belonging to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” as it attempted to transit the English Channel. The six-hour operation involved Royal Marines, the National Crime Agency, and air and naval support. The vessel was boarded and relocated to an anchorage off England’s south coast for environmental and security inspections.

In the meantime, Senator Kevin Cramer (Republican from North Dakota), who is among the cosponsors of the draft bill, told reporters that while Ukraine has been expressing its willingness to support a 30-day ceasefire proposal, Russia has not.

“This bill sends a clear message: bullies have a price to pay for their actions. Vladimir Putin and Russia must face serious consequences for their destructive and unprovoked war on Ukraine,” Cramer said.

The list of Senators who cosigned the legislation include: Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Katie Britt (R-AL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Todd Young (R-IN), Angus King (I-ME), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), John Curtis (R-UT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Peter Welch (D-VT), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jon Husted (R-OH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Cornyn (R-TX), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), John Hoeven (R-ND), John Fetterman (D-PA), John Boozman (R-AR), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), James Lankford (R-OK), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Rick Scott (R-FL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jim Justice (R-WV), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Steve Daines (R-MT) and Jack Reed (D-RI).

The House version of legislation is also being introduced with the support of both Republicans and Democrats, led by Republicans Joe Wilson, Brian Fitzpatrick and Democrats Marcy Kaptur and Mike Quigley.