Pence Advocates for Sanctions Against Russia
On Thursday, Vice President Pence called on the Senate to approve a significant sanctions bill aimed at Russia, asserting that it represents the most effective route to achieving peace in Eastern Europe, alongside sustained military support for Ukraine.
He mentioned, “While there may be diplomatic gestures happening, economic repercussions are looming unless action is taken.”
Pence emphasized that through these secondary sanctions, “Vladimir Putin could fundamentally disrupt the economy,” and that continuous military assistance for Ukraine could convey that this strategy is the most promising avenue toward peace, as he discussed with Blake Berman.
The sanctions proposal, which is backed by Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal, suggests imposing a 500% tariff on nations acquiring Russian oil and gas. This initiative enjoys support from over 85 Senate co-sponsors; however, the chamber took a break before moving ahead, thus delaying any approval until Trump signals readiness.
“We’re advocating for a 500% charge. If it’s adjusted to 250%, I could accept that, or even 100%. It’s all about firm actions,” Pence commented.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune remarked on Monday that Trump should be recognized for his efforts to conclude the ongoing Russian-Ukraine conflict. The Senate conveyed that they were “prepared” to provide Trump with the economic leverage required to compel Russia into negotiations for a sustainable peace in Ukraine.
Recently, Trump engaged with Russian President Vladimir Putin and seven European leaders, emphasizing the need to bring an end to the years-long conflict.
However, Russian officials have expressed skepticism regarding a quick resolution with Ukraine, particularly concerning Kyiv’s demands for security guarantees and a scheduled bilateral discussion between Putin and Zelensky, which has been a point of debate.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov raised concerns on Thursday regarding Zelensky’s legitimacy and described ongoing discussions about security guarantees as “hopeless.”
Lavrov indicated that Putin is willing to meet with the Ukrainian President, understanding that critical issues need to be deliberated at the highest levels.
Trump, on Thursday, described the current situation as “interesting times,” while criticizing previous policies that prevented Ukraine from deploying long-range U.S. weaponry into Russian territory.
He stated, “Winning a war without attacking the invading country is tremendously difficult, if not impossible. It’s like having a sports team with a fantastic defense but not being allowed to counter-attack. There’s no chance of victory!”
In a discussion with News Nation, Pence suggested that one reason Putin refrained from invading Ukraine during Trump’s initial term was that the Trump-Pence administration presented a credible threat of military action.
“He witnessed our decisive actions, the deployment of our troops to defeat the ISIS caliphate,” Pence reflected on Thursday. “We launched cruise missiles in Syria and eliminated Qasem Soleimani, the leader of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.”
