US postpones sanctions against Russia: Senate awaits Trump's action

John Thun. Photo: Politico

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has announced that consideration of a new package of sanctions against Russia and its trading partners has been temporarily postponed.

According to Politico, the senator explained that the US president is currently planning to implement some of the restrictions on his own.

According to him, if the head of state decides that additional sanctions mechanisms from Congress will be useful in negotiations and add to his influence, the Senate is ready to promptly return to consideration of the bill.

«If at some point the President concludes that it makes sense and adds value and leverage that he needs in these negotiations to move the bill forward, then we will do so. We will be ready for that», the senator said.

Earlier, Donald Trump, having cancelled sanctions against Syria on 1 July, automatically removed a number of Russian companies, banks and individuals from the sanctions lists.

It should also be noted that the US Senate has previously suspended consideration of a bill on new sanctions against Russia, stating that it was due to the armed escalation between Israel and Iran.