**US Senate to Vote on New Sanctions Against Russia**
The US Senate is set to begin voting on a bill that would impose new sanctions on Russia, following a discussion between President Donald Trump and Senator Lindsey Graham. In an interview with ABC News, Graham said that Trump was ready for the Senate to vote on the bill, which aims to target Russian trading partners while shielding Ukraine’s allies from penalties.
**Trump’s Support a “Big Breakthrough”**
Graham described the move as a “big breakthrough,” indicating that Trump has finally come around to supporting the sanctions. The senator stressed that it would be up to Trump to decide whether to sign the bill into law, but expressed confidence that he would do so. This change in stance is significant, given that Trump had previously refused to impose additional sanctions on Russia without Congressional approval.
**The Bill: Targeting Russian Trading Partners**
The proposed legislation, which has been signed by 84 co-sponsors, aims to target Russian trading partners by imposing secondary sanctions on them if they continue to help Russia. The bill would also shield Ukraine’s allies from penalties and make technical adjustments to existing laws. Graham explained that the bill would impose a 500 percent tariff on products coming into the United States from countries buying oil from Russia.
**Ukraine Welcomes Sanctions**
Ukraine has repeatedly urged the US to impose additional sanctions on Russia, citing increased attacks on Ukrainian cities. Graham’s comments come as Ukraine welcomes any move by the US to put pressure on Russia.
**Hungary Claims US Lifting of Anti-Russia Sanctions**
Just hours before Graham’s comments, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto claimed that Washington had lifted sanctions that hindered the expansion of a nuclear power plant in Hungary. However, it is unclear whether this is related to the proposed bill or not.
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