Trump sets condition for approving new Russia sanctions

US President Donald Trump is ready to support a new bill introducing sanctions against countries that continue to do business with Russia. However, he insists that the final decision on any sanctions must remain with the head of the White House.

This was reported to Reuters by a senior White House official.

Trump is ready to impose restrictions against Russia

Earlier, the US president told reporters that he was satisfied with the Republicans’ work on an initiative aimed at pressuring countries that continue business with Russia due to Moscow’s reluctance to reach a peace agreement with Ukraine. Trump also suggested expanding the sanctions package by including Iran.

The authors of the bill are Senator Lindsey Graham and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, who propose penalizing states that purchase Russian energy resources. Trump’s statements may unblock a vote in Congress that was previously delayed — partly due to the president’s desire to instead impose tariffs on imported goods from India, the second-largest buyer of Russian oil.

The White House emphasized that the president’s support will depend on whether he will have the ability to control the implementation of sanctions.

"It's always been important to the White House and the president that there's a carve-out in the sanctions package that ensures the president has the ultimate decision-making authority on the sanctions," the official said.

At the same time, the administration continues diplomatic contacts with Russia regarding ending the war against Ukraine, although this topic is "not the center of the news," the White House representative noted.

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