The Republicans ask Trump to set Russia in Ukraine -strikes new sanctions against Russia

A small but loud group of Republicans in the congress urges the pressure on Russia to escalate for his aggression against Ukraine, and after months in which he has largely remained calm and had been directed to his hand-off approach, gives way strongly from President Trump.

The shift has increased over the weekend after the most aggressive wave of attack in Russia since the beginning of the war. But it has been built for weeks when the Republicans and Democrats of the Senate signed the legal provisions that Moscow would impose extensive sanctions. The law now has 80 cosponsors, more than enough to override a veto in this chamber.

The same measure in both parties supported little and made a showdown with Mr. Trump unlikely at least at short notice on this topic. However, the movement in the Senate proposes an increasingly Hawkian mood on the Capitol Hill and a growing frustration of Russia among Republicans who increase their demands for decisive measures.

Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina, a close ally of Mr. Trump, leads the cross -party proposal on the law on Russia sanctions. Last week, Mr. Graham from the Senate seemed to be directly on his comments to the President to convince him that every influence he can imagine has on President Vladimir V. Putin from Russia does not seem to have a major impact.

“In my view, Putin plays us all,” warned Mr. Graham. He found missed opportunities for diplomacy that he said that Russia was not serious about peace. “President Trump asked for a 30-day ceasefire. Ukraine said yes; Russia said no,” he said. “President Trump asked Zelensky and Putin to go to Istanbul – I was over there – and met to have direct conversations. Zelensky did not do it; Putin didn't.”

“We have given Russia enough opportunity to find an honorary person and end this war,” continued Mr. Graham. “You are not interested. And you won't change until we are for the foreground. So we need moral clarity here. Putin pulls it out.”