Republican lawmakers are intensifying calls for President Donald Trump to impose sweeping sanctions on Moscow following the recent incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace, according to CNN.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), co-chair of the Senate NATO Observer Group, accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of manipulating U.S. foreign policy and exploiting diplomatic openings. “He’s gotten everything he wanted,” Tillis said Wednesday, warning that Putin’s strategy is to “string us along” while continuing aggression in Ukraine, the news outlet said.
The incident over Poland has reignited momentum behind a bipartisan sanctions bill introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), which would authorize the president to levy tariffs of up to 500% on countries importing Russian oil, gas, or uranium without contributing to Ukraine’s war effort.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) suggested that the breach of NATO airspace has “intensified interest” in moving forward with the legislation, despite previous hesitations from the White House. “Our members are very interested,” Thune said. “That was a provocative act… clearly an attempt to test the U.S. and our NATO allies.”
The White House has signaled that it is working with Congress to align any legislative efforts with Trump’s foreign-policy priorities, maintaining that diplomacy must remain flexible, according to the news outlet.
Still, several Republicans say Putin’s recent moves, including high-profile meetings with Chinese and North Korean leaders, underscore the need for immediate action. “Putin is playing [Trump] right now, and I think the president understands that,” said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA).
Read more at CNN