Trump admin. to support higher prices for Russian oil in an effort to end the war in Ukraine, the sources said
The Trump administration will support a bill that would impose heavy financial penalties on Russian oil buyers, increasing economic pressure on Moscow, all in an effort to end Russia’s four-year war with Ukraine, sources told CBS News.
GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut told CBS News that the Trump White House approved the latest draft of the bipartisan Russia sanctions bill.
A Ukrainian official told CBS News that on Friday, Graham informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he supported the White House.
White House spokesmen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Both senators stressed that Ukraine is turning the tide on the battlefield, and Russian President Vladimir Putin needs to be brought to the table. Graham indicated to CBS News that Putin’s frequent attacks are a feature of Mr. Trump’s thinking. Trump, and the president found Ukraine’s recent success on the battlefield to be influential.
The bipartisan bill aims to increase economic pressure on Russia. It is unclear how soon the tariffs will go into effect after the legislation is signed into law.
It will allow higher prices to be imposed on countries that continue to buy Russian oil and natural gas. India and China they are the two largest consumers of Russian oil.
Blumenthal has not yet counted the votes, but believes there will be Democratic support for the bill. The Connecticut senator also praised the timing: The recent drop in oil prices as the war with Iran eased made the decision more palatable.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota had previously told members of the Senate that he would remove the bill once he got the votes. The Senate returns to Washington on Monday.
Blumenthal said the sanctions movement is not the only big win for Ukraine. He also said that Zelenskyy handled his meetings with Mr. Patriot interceptors and persuading Trump to sign off on buying Ukrainian drones for US use. Zelenskyy had made a direct request to obtain the licenses of Mr. Trump during an appearance on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” in May.
Blumenthal, Graham, Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, and GOP Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi praised the deal and said they expect to pass the law “very soon.”
“As Russia escalates its killing of civilians, it is imperative that the legislative and executive branches work together to create tools that will impose a heavy price on those who buy Russian oil and natural gas, fueling Putin’s war machine,” the senators said.
Zelenskyy has been informed of the president’s approval of the tax plan, one of the sources said. The president of Ukraine met with Graham in Kyiv on Friday and said in the X post that “Lindsey told me about the ongoing work in Congress on the relevant bill.”
