US threatens Russia with more sanctions to push talks

A bipartisan US Bill that would hit Russia with sanctions in a bid to pressure Moscow into good-faith peace negotiations with Ukraine has gained momentum this week in Congress, but it still lacks the presidential push it needs to get over the finish line.

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Now, Ukraine’s supporters in Washington and Kyiv, who have for months hoped for President Donald Trump to throw his weight behind the bill, are anxiously awaiting what the Republican president has said will be a “major statement” on Russia on Monday.

Over the past few weeks he has grown increasingly and publicly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin over his reluctance to accept a ceasefire and the growing civilian death toll of Russian attacks.

On Tuesday, Trump approved sending US defensive weapons to Ukraine. Two days later, he came closer than ever to endorsing the sanctions Bill, although he has not yet signed off on the legislation’s text. Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters earlier in the week that the Senate could vote on the Bill this month.

Mike Johnson, the top House Republican, has expressed similar optimism, while Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have privately told European diplomats that the Bill will move imminently, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter.

“The Senate will move soon on a tough sanctions Bill also against countries like China and India that buy Russian energy products that finance Putin’s war machine,” Graham wrote on X .

Moscow warns US, its partners against targeting N Korea

Russia’s foreign minister on Saturday warned the US, South Korea and Japan against forming a security partnership targeting North Korea as he visited his country’s ally for talks on further solidifying their booming military and other cooperation.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke at North Korea’s eastern Wonsan city, where he met the country’s leader, Kim Jong Un, and conveyed greetings from Putin.

Relations between Russia and North Korea have been flourishing, with North Korea supplying troops and munition to support Russia’s war against Ukraine in return for fiscal assistance.