US Congress passes sweeping Russia sanctions bill

The US Congress has passed a comprehensive sanctions bill aimed at economically pressuring Russia following its ongoing war in Ukraine. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives approved the measure by a margin of 262 to 159, after months of legislative delay. President Donald Trump has indicated his intention to sign the legislation, which was passed by the Senate with an 86-11 vote last month.

The proposed sanctions target key areas of the Russian economy, including the energy and defense sectors, as well as the country's President, Vladimir Putin, and other senior officials. It also extends sanctions to cover entities involved in supporting Russia's military activities, as well as extending sanctions against Iran. The legislation grants Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, potentially including countries like China and India.

The bill has been met with mixed reactions from Democrats, who generally support Ukraine but have been cautious about granting Trump additional trade authority. While most Democrats supported the bill, a few Republicans expressed concerns over the secondary tariff provisions, calling the measure "deeply flawed." However, these amendments were ultimately rejected by the Republican-led House.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had urged Congress to pass the sanctions package, arguing that stronger economic pressure was necessary to force Moscow into negotiations. White House lawyers drafted the current bill to maximize Trump's authority to impose new import taxes on Americans and minimize any obligation to implement sanctions on Russia or its supporters.

Supporters of the sanctions argue that economic pressure is essential, given the ongoing fifth year of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine without any sign of a peace settlement. The White House has generally preferred to retain control over sanctions and tariffs rather than have Congress dictate policy, which delayed the measure for over a year.