A group of 50 US senators, Republicans and Democrats, have threatened new sanctions on Russia if it does not engage in achieving peace in Ukraine.
"These sanctions would be imposed if Russia refuses to engage in good faith in negotiations for a lasting peace with Ukraine, or if it initiates anything, including a military invasion, that threatens Ukraine's sovereignty after a peace agreement," the senators said in a statement, adding that a bill to that effect has been prepared.
Their bill also calls for imposing 500 percent tariffs on goods imported from countries that buy Russian oil, gas and uranium.
"The prevailing view in the US Senate is that Russia is the aggressor and that this horrific war, along with Putin's aggression, must end immediately and not be repeated," the statement added.
This initiative, in a political landscape polarized since Donald Trump's return to the White House, brings together 25 Republicans and the same number of Democrats, or half of the US Senate.
"These sanctions on Russia are ready and will receive overwhelming, bipartisan support" if they are put to a vote in the Senate and House of Representatives, the senators claim.
After initially making a spectacular rapprochement with Moscow, Donald Trump, who is demanding a ceasefire in Ukraine at all costs, has recently changed his tone.
The US president said on Sunday that he was "furious" with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and threatened to impose new tariffs on Russian oil.
"If Russia and I are unable to reach an agreement to end the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I believe it is Russia's fault, I will impose secondary tariffs on all oil leaving Russia," Trump said in an interview with the American television network NBC.
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