Shaheen calls for bipartisan support for secondary sanctions on Russia as Putin ‘drags his feet’

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) called for bipartisan support for secondary sanctions on Russian goods as President Vladimir Putin “drags his feet.”

“I think we ought to take up the Graham legislation, and we ought to pass it through both houses and put those secondary sanctions on Russia,” Shaheen said of GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (S.C.) legislation.

Graham shared on Saturday that he has bipartisan legislation with almost 60 cosponsors that would put secondary tariffs on any country that purchases Russian oil, gas, uranium or other products.

Shaheen said the Trump administration has been working with Graham on the legislation and “certainly understands” that the bill is in the works.

“There is some real benefit as Vladimir Putin continues to drag his feet, to do everything he can to play for more time, so that they’re able to take more territory in Ukraine and to better advance Russia’s position, this is something that can help slow them down,” she said.

The Trump administration has sought to end the war between Russia and Ukraine since taking office in January.

The ceasefire negotiations have proved to be more difficult than President Trump anticipated, and frustrations have grown with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. After a brief meeting with Zelensky over the weekend, Trump suggested that Putin was stringing him along.