Warren, Shaheen Lead Senate Democrats in Pressing Trump Administration to Use U.S. and G7 Sanctions Leverage in Push to End Russia’s War
“President Trump posted a message imploring President Putin to ‘STOP!’ Nevertheless, Russia continued to attack Ukraine, launching another round of deadly strikes the next night.”
“We urge you to… communicate more credibly that the Kremlin must end its war of aggression.”
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, led a group of Democratic Senators in sending a letter to National Security Advisor and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, outlining overdue steps the Trump Administration should be taking beyond social media posts to drive up the costs for Russia’s aggression and to target foreign actors that continue to supply Russia’s war.
“More than 100 days since President Trump took office, it appears that the Administration is unable or unwilling to apply sanctions pressure while negotiating to achieve a just and lasting peace,” wrote the Senators.
The letter comes just a day before President Xi Jinping is set to visit Moscow to discuss further cooperation and as Secretary Rubio assumes sweeping new responsibilities coordinating U.S. national security policy, including on China and on Ukraine negotiations. The lawmakers warn that the Administration must not give Beijing a pass for its role in supporting Russia’s unjustified war.
“Treasury (in January) exposed a secret cross-border payment channel for sensitive exports from China to Russia, and it sanctioned entities in both the PRC and Russia for their role in this channel. More recent press reporting describes an additional scheme to facilitate PRC-Russia trade,” the Senators explained. “The Administration should target those involved in any new or modified payment mechanism that helps Russia acquire dual-use goods and technology for its defense industrial base.”
The Senators lay out a clear roadmap for the Administration to increase pressure on the Kremlin and its enablers. They recommend restarting regular sanctions designations, strengthening sanctions on Russian energy, stopping encouragement of private sector reengagement with Russia, rebuilding enforcement teams, reversing expanded loopholes for Russian illicit finance, opposing renewed Russian banking access, and working with G7 partners to maintain a unified front.
“Time is of the essence. We urge you to push the Administration to make clear it will impose additional costs on Putin for his failure to bring this war to a just and lasting peace,” they wrote.
Signers of the letter also include Senators Coons (D-Del.), Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Kim (D-N.J.), and Slotkin (D-Mich.).
###
Next Article Previous Article