Trump Eyes Stinging Russia Sanctions. This Bipartisan Proposal Could Bring The Pain.

President Donald Trump signaled over the weekend that he is seriously weighing tougher sanctions on Russia over its years-long war against Ukraine, a potential move backed by a bipartisan Senate supermajority eager to force Moscow’s hand, as peace negotiations falter.

In a Sunday exchange with reporters, Trump said he is “absolutely” considering new sanctions on Russia. Hours later, he blasted Russian President Vladimir Putin on social media, calling him “CRAZY” for “needlessly killing a lot of people” with continued fighting between soldiers, as well as missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities. “I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!” he added.

The rebuke stretched into Tuesday, with Trump warning that Putin is “playing with fire” and claiming that “really bad things” would have already struck Russia without his restraint.

A coalition of 81 senators, led by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), has rallied behind a bill to slam Russia with fresh sanctions if Moscow refuses genuine peace talks with Ukraine or launches new attacks threatening Ukraine’s sovereignty post-agreement. The legislation also proposes a 500% tariff on goods from nations buying Russian oil, gas, uranium, or other commodities.

“While we yearn for peace, it is increasingly clear to us – and a supermajority of the Senate – that Putin is playing games,” Graham and Blumenthal declared in a joint statement last week. “The United States Senate stands ready to act if these games continue.”

The Daily Wire previously reported that after a two-hour call with Putin last week, Trump declared that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine would “immediately start,” only for the Kremlin to deny any such plans. The week prior, Putin snubbed scheduled talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey, prompting Trump to insist that “nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together.”

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Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), a co-signer of the Graham-Blumenthal bill, argued Tuesday that sanctions are now critical. “I believe president trump was sincere when he thought his friendship w Putin wld end the war,” Grassley posted on X. “Now that being the case ITS TIME FOR SANCTIONS STRONG ENUF SO PUTIN KNOWS ‘game over.'”

Trump also took aim at Zelensky and former President Joe Biden.

“President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does,” Trump posted on Truth Social over the weekend. “Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop. This is a War that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s War, not ‘Trump’s,’ I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred.”