Druck auf Moskau: US-Senat stimmt für Gesetz zu Russland-Sanktionen
Lange wurde darum gestritten, nun hat sich der US-Senat zu neuen Sanktionen gegen Russland durchgerungen. Diese dürften vor allem zwei Länder hart treffen, wenn auch das Repräsentantenhaus mitgeht.
The United States Senate has passed a sanctions bill aimed at increasing pressure on Russia following the Ukraine war. The legislation, primarily driven by recently deceased US Senator Lindsey Graham, passed with a substantial majority of 86 to 11 votes. It now awaits consideration by the House of Representatives, which is currently on a break and is expected to vote on it before September.
The bill empowers President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on the five largest purchasers of Russian energy and the five countries that most help Russia circumvent energy sanctions, potentially straining US trade relations with China and India, both major importers of Russian oil. Initial tariffs could reach up to 100 percent, with the amount adjusted annually based on each country's efforts to reduce reliance on Russian oil and gas.
The five largest importers of Russian energy will be targeted every 180 days to determine if they are making progress in reducing purchases. The bill also includes exemptions for countries importing less than 15 percent of Russia's natural gas and taking measures to reduce those purchases. European allies are not affected by these exemptions, according to Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal.
The bill extends sanctions against Iran until 2031, following an agreement between Republican and Democratic senators in the Senate. Senator Lindsey Graham, after whom the legislation is named, had been pushing for this measure in the Senate. His seat was recently filled by his sister, Darline Graham, who also supports the bill along with several Democratic senators, including Blumenthal.
President Trump has hinted at support for the bill, contrasting it with his criticism of Russia's President Vladimir Putin for not doing enough to pressure Ukraine. Democratic Senator Katie Britt emphasized in the pre-vote debate that the goal was to "take the knife out of Putin's back." Democratic colleague Blumenthal noted the message being sent to Putin: "Today we tell him, you will not conquer Ukraine."
The US government has previously imposed temporary sanctions on Russian oil shipments to counter rising prices resulting from the Hormuz strait blockage due to the Iran war. This escalation was triggered by a shortage of supply following the closure of the Hormuz strait.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
