To be or not to be: when and under what conditions may the White House impose hellish sanctions against Russia
5 June 16:00
ANALYSIS
The US Special Representative for Ukraine Keith Kellogg said that the United States has already prepared a new package of sanctions against the Russian Federation.
“I had a conversation with Republican Senator Lindsey Graham last weekend and I am convinced that the sanctions package is ready. The document is called the Russia Sanctions Act of 2025, and as far as I know, Graham has already finalized it and is ready to present it publicly. These are quite serious measures,”
– Kellogg told Fox News.
The bill was initiated by Senators Lindsey Graham (Republican) and Richard Blumenthal (Democrat from Connecticut). It provides for the imposition of 500% tariffs on imports from countries that continue to buy Russian energy resources – oil, gas, uranium and other goods.
During a briefing on June 3, White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said that US President Donald Trump generally supports efforts to peacefully resolve the war in Ukraine, but is ready to take additional sanctions against Moscow if necessary.
When and under what conditions the United States may impose sanctions against Russia, "Komersant Ukrainian" analyzes.
Between internal struggle and foreign policy
US President Donald Trump has not shown any willingness to take decisive action against Russia, and the sanctions bill is more political than practical. This was stated by political scientist Volodymyr Fesenko in a commentary for . Commenting on the statement of the White House spokesperson Caroline Levitt about the possibility of sanctions against Russia, the expert noted that only Donald Trump’s personal statements really matter.
According to Fesenko, Trump’s erratic behavior on social media – for example, publishing, deleting and re-posting a post about Russia – is a reflection of the contradictions in his inner circle.
“Some people call it that the cockroaches in Trump’s head are fighting with each other, but in fact there is a struggle among the people around him. Some say he needs to put pressure on Russia now, including through sanctions. Others say that this will destroy the negotiation process,”
– the expert noted.
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Trump’s signal: no sanctions for now
Fesenko is convinced that the content of Trump’s post and the information about his conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin indicate that he has no intention of increasing pressure, including sanctions, on Moscow.
“For me, this is a clear signal: we should not expect tough pressure on Russia, at least in the near future,” he said,
– he said.
Regarding the bill on sanctions against Russia, Fesenko emphasized that even if it is adopted, the application of sanctions will remain solely within the competence of the US President. Moreover, the document provides for certain conditions for the launch of the sanctions mechanism.
“Only Trump can impose sanctions. Even if this bill is passed, it can only be used by Trump. There are conditions, in particular, if Russia refuses to negotiate. And Russia is not refusing to negotiate,”
– he added.
The political scientist urges not to overestimate the importance of statements and documents that may have a political rather than a practical effect.
“I would not rush to draw conclusions and wishful thinking,”
– Fesenko summarized.
What is known about the bill in the US Senate
on April 1, The Washington Times reported that a document was submitted to the U.S. Senate that provides for new sanctions against Russia. In particular, it concerns the possible imposition of 500% duties on imports from countries that continue to trade with Russia, particularly in the energy sector.
These measures are aimed at increasing economic pressure on the Russian Federation and creating additional barriers for states that support its energy trade.
The initiative was sponsored by Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal. In May, it became known that more than 70 senators out of 100 support the bill.
During a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee on May 20, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio noted that additional sanctions could encourage Russia to abandon negotiations to end hostilities.
At the same time, Senator Graham emphasized that if there is no progress in the peace talks, the Senate is ready to put the bill to a vote. on May 27, in his column in The Wall Street Journal, he reiterated the need to impose 500% tariffs on countries that continue to buy Russian energy.
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