Former Vice President Mike Pence called on the Senate to approve sweeping sanctions against Russia, even as President Donald Trump presses forward with efforts to broker peace in Ukraine.
Pence Pressures Senate To Pass Secondary Sanctions On Russia
Pence told NewsNation on Thursday that the Senate should pass a bipartisan bill imposing "secondary sanctions" designed to cripple Russia's war financing, as reported by The Hill.
The measure, led by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), would slap tariffs as high as 500% on countries purchasing Russian oil and gas.
"If we pass those secondary sanctions, Vladimir Putin will understand that we could literally break their economy," Pence said.
He argued that pairing sanctions with continued U.S. military support for Ukraine offers "the best pathway to peace."
Trump Meets Putin And Zelensky Amid Push For Ukraine Peace Deal
Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) previously said he could compromise on tariff levels but insisted sanctions must be "bone-crushing" to weaken Russia's war machine.
Trump, meanwhile, has been pushing his own peace initiative, meeting last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several European leaders at the White House.
"Interesting times [are] ahead," Trump wrote on Truth Social, criticizing President Joe Biden for restricting Ukraine from using U.S. long-range weapons against Russia.
Warren, Murphy Blast Trump-Putin Alaska Summit Over Lack of Cease-Fire
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) criticized Trump for easing pressure on Vladimir Putin, arguing that simply holding summits is no substitute for tough measures to secure peace in Ukraine.
The recent Alaska meeting between Trump and Putin ended without a cease-fire, prompting backlash.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called the summit a "disaster" and an embarrassment, saying it allowed Putin to appear legitimate and deny war crimes without offering concessions.
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