The Senate began its recess last week without taking action on a package of proposed Russian sanctions. Now, Congress is effectively consigned to watching and waiting for Putin and Biden’s next steps.
He added, "We must be prepared to impose additional costs on Putin if he carries through on his threats to further invade Ukraine."
On Monday night, two key Senate Foreign Relations Committee members — Chairman Bob Menendez and Sen. Chris Coons — called for the U.S. to impose "crushing sanctions" and "significant costs" on Russia, respectively. Their comments came shortly after a Biden administration official had touched off a controversy by telling reporters, "Russian troops moving into Donbas would not be a new step." Biden and his aides reversed course Tuesday.They called for Congress to "compel President Biden to take the tough steps his administration has opposed thus far."
Their statement added: "We must permanently end Nord Stream 2, implement secondary sanctions on Russian financial institutions, and impose crippling penalties on the industries which the Russian military relies on to make war," they said, accusing Biden of "appeasement.", called for similar measures, accusing Biden of inviting the Russian aggression by showing "weakness" with his chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.