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Trump may impose sanctions against Russia only if gets more control — media

According to the Politico, the bill in its current version gives the president the ability "to waive a 500% tariff on countries that buy Russian oil and uranium"
US President Donald Trump AP Photo/Evan Vucci
US President Donald Trump
© AP Photo/Evan Vucci

WASHINGTON, July 10. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump is ready to support a bill on tougher sanctions against Russia only if his powers to lift the restrictions are expanded, Politico reported citing sources in the US administration.

According to the newspaper, the bill in its current version gives the president the ability "to waive a 500% tariff on countries that buy Russian oil and uranium." Meanwhile, US Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican, South Carolina, on Russia's terrorists and extremists list), who co-authored the bill, agreed to revise it in such a way that Trump would have the opportunity to revoke the duties with the authorization of Congress.

"The administration’s desired changes would solidify the president’s waiver authority, ensuring that Congress has no power to question Trump should he decide to end the sanctions," Politico writes. According to the newspaper, the president is ready to sign the bill only if "it changes to give him more control."

The bill was introduced in early April by a bipartisan group of senators led by Graham and Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat representing Connecticut. The proposal provides for such measures as secondary sanctions against Russia’s trading partners, for example, tariffs of 500% on imports to the US from countries that purchase oil, gas, uranium and other goods from Russia.