Senate Prepared to Give Trump ‘Economic Leverage' With Russia, Lawmaker Says

The Senate “stands ready” to give President Donald Trump “any economic leverage” he needs to pressure Russia to reach a peace deal with Ukraine, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Aug. 18 as Trump was planning to meet with Ukrainian and European leaders at the White House.

Thune said last month that he was consulting with the White House about when to move forward with a bill that could impose a wide range of sanctions on Russia and its supporters if Moscow refuses to negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine (see 2507090023).