Ursula von der Leyen backs 'bone-crushing' US Senate bill to sanction Russia

Ursula von der Leyen has endorsed a caller measure quickly making its measurement done nan US Senate that would enforce sweeping sanctions against Russia successful a bid to unit nan Kremlin into superior negotiations for a lasting bid successful Ukraine, contempt nan rule having nan imaginable to wreak economical havoc connected respective countries of nan European Union.

The bill, jointly promoted by Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, and Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut, has amassed much than 80 signatures successful nan 100-seat chamber, an awesome magnitude of bipartisan support that could thief person President Donald Trump to move guardant pinch nan plan.

Trump has truthful acold refused to use further unit connected Moscow, causing dismay among European allies, who have pledged to move guardant pinch restrictions connected their own.

After a "good" gathering pinch Senator Graham connected Monday, von der Leyen suggested nan draught rule activity successful tandem pinch the adjacent package of EU sanctions, meant to target Russia's financial sector, nan "shadow fleet" and nan Nord Stream pipelines.

Brussels besides wants to little nan G7 value headdress connected Russian seaborne oil, which has remained untouched astatine $60 per tube since its preamble successful precocious 2022.

The president of nan European Commission "made nan nonsubjective clear: we request a existent ceasefire, we request Russia astatine nan negotiating table, and we request to extremity this war. Pressure works, arsenic nan Kremlin understands thing else," her agency said.

"This is why nan President welcomed that Senator Graham committed to ramping up unit connected Russia and moving up pinch nan measure successful (the) Senate adjacent week."

Under nan draught rule promoted by Graham and Blumenthal, nan US would slap a wide scope of superior sanctions and duties connected Russia, specified arsenic wide prohibitions connected financial transactions pinch entities owned aliases affiliated pinch nan Kremlin.

Most notably, it would besides present secondary tariffs of "not less" than 500% connected immoderate state that "knowingly sells, supplies, transfers, aliases purchases oil, uranium, earthy gas, petroleum products, aliases petrochemical products that originated successful nan Russian Federation".

Russia's clients nether fire

In theory, this proviso would deed difficult respective personnel states that proceed to trust connected Moscow for their power needs.

As of today, France, Spain, Belgium, nan Netherlands and Portugal bargain Russian liquefied earthy state (LNG); Italy, Greece, Hungary, Slovakia and Bulgaria bargain Russian pipeline gas; and Hungary and Slovakia bargain Russian pipeline oil.

Additionally, 5 countries – Bulgaria, nan Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Finland – run Russian-made atomic reactors that trust connected circumstantial Russian-made fuels.

The bill, however, features a clause that would let nan US president to spare circumstantial countries, equipment and services from nan 500% tariff done a one-time waiver – arsenic agelong arsenic doing truthful is justified for "national information interests".

It was not instantly clear if von der Leyen discussed this exemption during her gathering pinch Graham. Her affirmative words pursuing nan brushwood propose nan Commission main is assured nan bloc will negociate to debar nan blowback.

Both Graham and Blumenthal person pointed nan digit astatine China and India arsenic nan premier clients of Russian power and, therefore, nan premier targets of nan 500% tariffs.

After a associated travel to Kyiv and Paris, nan senators hailed caller momentum to beforehand their bill, informing nan model to forestall a renewed Russian violative was closing fast.

"The world has a batch of cards to play against Putin," Graham told nan Associated Press. "We're going to deed China and India for propping up his warfare machine."

Graham called nan draught "the astir draconian measure I've ever seen successful my life successful nan Senate", while Blumenthal said nan projected sanctions would beryllium "bone-crushing" and spot Russia's system "on a waste and acquisition island".

Officials successful Brussels judge nan operation of 500% tariffs pinch a little value headdress would person a devastating effect connected Moscow, arsenic world clients would unreserved to fly Russian power and precipitate a plunge successful gross for nan national budget.

Still, nan White House has made nary denotation it is consenting to amend nan G7 value cap.

"These steps, taken together pinch US measures, would sharply summation nan associated effect of our sanctions," von der Leyen said, according to nan read-out. "Combined pinch actions targeting Russia's protector fleet limiting Russia's expertise to carrier its oil, it's an effective measurement to barren up nan Kremlin's resources to costs nan war."

The gathering betwixt von der Leyen and Graham comes arsenic delegations from Ukraine and Russia meet successful Istanbul for a caller information of face-to-face negotiations.