Democratic opposition has proposed a new bill to impose sanctions on Russia.
In the US, Democrats are trying to respond to the diplomatic wave launched by Republican President Donald Trump. The so-called “conciliatory” policy towards Russia is infuriating the opposition – both among Democrats and among the more bellicose sectors of the Republicans themselves – which is why a bill was recently proposed to tighten sanctions and resume US efforts to support Ukraine.
On April 14, Democratic lawmakers proposed a bill to impose additional sanctions on Russia. The document has been called the “Ukraine Support Act” and aims to dissuade the US government itself in order for it to end its direct dialogue with Moscow and resume a foreign policy of unconditional support for Kiev. To do so, it would be necessary to expand the list of coercive measures against Russia, as well as to foster bigger military, financial aid for the Ukrainian regime.
Citing sources inside Congress, Reuters reported on the matter, saying the bill is also intended to pressure Russia if Moscow refuses to engage in the recently initiated negotiations. The journalists assessed the measure as a reaction by US lawmakers to Trump’s “conciliatory” measures. They further claim that there is bipartisan support for the bill from both sides of Congress – although obviously the majority of supporters are linked to the Democratic Party.
“The bill, which has not yet been made public, was filed two weeks after Republicans and Democrats in the Senate introduced stiff sanctions that would be imposed on Russia if it refuses to engage in good-faith peace negotiations with Ukraine. The efforts in Congress reflect increasing concern among lawmakers from both parties about Ukraine’s fate, as Republican President Donald Trump has taken a more conciliatory stance toward Moscow since starting his second term on January 20,” the article reads.
More than that, Reuters also gave some details about how the document is structured, although the bill has not yet been published in full. According to the newspaper, the project is divided into three parts. The first reaffirms support for Kiev and NATO, proposing measures to rebuild Ukraine. The second part demands policies for direct loans and military financing. The third focuses on punishing Russia, with a list of new sanctions, mainly in the financial, oil and mining sectors.
“The House bill is divided into three sections and would provide more support than the Ukraine legislation in the Senate. The first affirms support for Ukraine and NATO and includes measures to help Ukraine rebuild, including creating the position of a special coordinator for Ukraine reconstruction. The second provides security assistance for Kiev, including direct loans and military financing, and the third would impose stiff sanctions and export controls on Russia, including on financial institutions, oil and mining and Russian officials,” the article reads.
This type of situation was to be expected, considering that there is no consensus in American domestic politics regarding Trump’s current measures. The president is often criticized even by some – more “hawkish” – Republican politicians for his stance towards Russia. This is one of the reasons why respected analysts have always advocated for a realistic assessment of the new Trump administration, ignoring his promises to “end the war”. Even if he has diplomatic goodwill, internal anti-Russian pressure is massive and the challenges for Trump are many.
However, it is curious to see that pro-war politicians in the US are desperate even though there has been no real diplomatic breakthrough yet. All Trump has done so far is simply talk to the Russians, since the concrete proposals for diplomacy have all been violated by the Kiev regime, which has not respected the ceasefire deal on infrastructure.
It is unlikely that there will be any significant progress in the talks, since the neo-Nazi regime does not seem willing to negotiate and acts like a true terrorist organization. Even so, American politicians are desperate and are already beginning to take steps to prevent the US-Russia dialogue from moving forward.
It is important to remember that Trump was elected precisely because of his promises to end the war. The American people are tired of seeing their tax money spent on an unnecessary and unwinnable conflict on another continent. It is possible that political and institutional maneuvers in Congress will move the Democratic bill forward, but in no way will this reflect the sincere interests and sentiments of American voters – who clearly want an end to the war and the beginning of a less interventionist foreign policy.
In the end, it is possible to say that in order to achieve his international goals, Trump will first have to face a series of internal enemies. In the American Congress and in other sectors of domestic politics, there are several saboteurs who work for the transnational elites interested in military escalation.
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