ICYMI Video: Time's Up on Trump's Deadline for Russia to End its War in Ukraine: Blumenthal Calls for Passage of His Hard-Hitting Sanctions Bill

[WASHINGTON, DC] – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) today urged President Trump to support his bipartisan legislation with U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) that would impose harsh primary and secondary sanctions on Russia and other actors supporting Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. With President Trump’s deadline for Russia to end its war in Ukraine or face severe economic consequences expiring today, Blumenthal joined CNN’s News Central to call for the passage of his sanctions bill that would bring Russia’s war machine to a halt and facilitate an end to its war in Ukraine.

In response to questions from CNN’s Kate Bolduan about President Trump’s expiring deadline on Russia, Blumenthal said, “There’s zero evidence that Putin has changed either his tactics or his strategy. He is pursuing the murderous merciless aerial assault against Ukraine’s civilians. And in the east, on the front in Donbas and in the north in Sumy. He’s continuing to pursue the bloody assault there. So, these sanctions are well warranted now, and they ought to be imposed.”

Blumenthal highlighted the message that passing his bipartisan sanctions bill would send to the world and to U.S. allies, “The Graham-Blumenthal bill would go farther than the President’s order. The Trump order is a hammer. What we would apply is a sledgehammer with higher sanctions, 500%, as opposed to 100%, and broader—we would go against the Russian shadow fleet—and most importantly, it would demonstrate to the world as well as our European allies, that there is unity between Congress and the President, between Democrats and Republicans. We have 85 co-sponsors. The bill would pass overwhelmingly by more than 90 votes if it were simply given a vote. And it will be if Trump gives it the green light.”

“He ought to impose those sanctions on China, India, Brazil. They are buying Russian oil. They are sustaining his war machine, and they ought to be held accountable. They are selling that oil, by the way, at a profit. It’s blood money. And they should pay a price for fueling the kind of merciless and murderous aerial assault that is killing Ukrainians—literally last night, in their homes, hospitals, educational centers. It is atrocities that they should be held accountable for supporting. China, India, Brazil and others should pay that price. And the credibility of the President and the United States is at stake. Putin is simply stringing us along,” Blumenthal concluded.

With 85 cosponsors in the U.S. Senate, Blumenthal and Graham’s legislation would impose harsh sanctions if Russia refuses to engage in good faith negotiations for a lasting peace with Ukraine or initiates another effort, including military invasion, that undermines the sovereignty of Ukraine after peace is negotiated. The legislation also imposes a 500 percent tariff on imported goods from countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other products.

The full transcript of Blumenthal’s interview with CNN News Central is available below, and a video of his remarks can be found here.

Kate Bolduan: Joining me right now is Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. Senator, thanks for being here. It is deadline day. The deadline set by President Trump. What's going to happen?

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): It’s deadline day, Kate. And you're absolutely right that Putin has failed to meet it. What should happen is scorching sanctions on the buyers of Russian oil and gas that enable Russians’ war machine to do the kind of destruction that you just described. There’s zero evidence that Putin has changed either his tactics or his strategy. He is pursuing the murderous merciless aerial assault against Ukraine’s civilians. And in the east, on the front in Donbas and in the north in Sumy. He’s continuing to pursue the bloody assault there. So, these sanctions are well warranted now, and they ought to be imposed.

Bolduan: So, the President announced a 25% tariff, if you will, on India as penalty for continuing to buy Russian oil and gas. In… Look, your Sanctions bill goes much further than that, but do you see that move as the President essentially putting the bill that you’ve spearheaded with Senator Lindsey Graham into action without actually signing your Sanctions bill into law, without actually saying he wants you to, he would like to see it voted on in the Senate?

Blumenthal: I was encouraged by Trump’s announcement that he was going to impose these sanctions. I thought maybe he was breaking the bromance, he seemed to take Putin's word, but this summit seems to be just another Putin ploy. And the Graham-Blumenthal bill would go farther than the President’s order. The Trump order is a hammer. What we would apply is a sledgehammer with higher sanctions, 500%, as opposed to 100%, and broader—we would go against the Russian shadow fleet—and most importantly, it would demonstrate to the world as well as our European allies, that there is unity between Congress and the President, between Democrats and Republicans. We have 85 co-sponsors. The bill would pass overwhelmingly by more than 90 votes if it were simply given a vote. And it will be if Trump gives it the green light. And its additional advantage is that it would make these sanctions bulletproof, legally. Right now, a Presidential order could be challenged, and we want to make sure that it is legally invulnerable to any kind of challenge.

So, I’m very hopeful that the President will listen to the First Lady. You remember the conversation he had with her after he came back one day, and he said, “I just had a wonderful talk with President Putin.” And she said, “Well, that's great. They just bombed another Ukrainian city.” Putin is a bloodthirsty thug. He understands only force, and now is the time for sanctions to be applied.

Bolduan: And here’s the thing. I mean, this is a conversation that has been had for months and months and months and changed and extended deadlines, and “I’ll talk to you in two weeks,” is what we have heard from President Trump. He's set today as a deadline for Putin to act, or else. If the President doesn't follow through with his ultimatum that he himself set after today, what then, Senator? I mean, does the President then lose credibility in being able to broker peace in Ukraine?

Blumenthal: Absolutely. I believe that his credibility will be damaged if he fails to follow through today on this deadline. There is no excuse for succumbing to this Putin ploy. The President has demonstrated that he means business. He said he’s disappointed with Putin. He ought to impose those sanctions on China, India, Brazil. They are buying Russian oil. They are sustaining his war machine, and they ought to be held accountable. They are selling that oil, by the way, at a profit. It’s blood money. And they should pay a price for fueling the kind of merciless and murderous aerial assault that is killing Ukrainians—literally last night, in their homes, hospitals, educational centers. It is atrocities that they should be held accountable for supporting. China, India, Brazil and others should pay that price. And the credibility of the President and the United States is at stake. Putin is simply stringing us along.

Bolduan: We’ll say, just as a reminder, your bill has more co-sponsors—I mean, there is nothing bipartisan that anyone can really point to ever these days, except for the Graham-Blumenthal bill, which has, I mean, basically almost the entire Senate now co-sponsoring it and supporting it. Just a reminder to everyone as it sits there waiting to see if the President actually wants to show his support.

Before I let you go, overnight, what’s playing out in Israel—the Israeli Security Cabinet approving this plan from Netanyahu to expand the war effort in Gaza and take over Gaza City. Now evacuate, forcibly evacuate, a million Palestinians from the northern part of the enclave to the southern. The plan goes against recommendations of the Israeli military. What is your reaction to this?

Blumenthal: There’s a humanitarian crisis in Gaza that has to be addressed. Food, water, medical supplies have to be provided to prevent starvation there. And I am deeply concerned that the Netanyahu plan seems to be at odds with the recommendations from his own military. And I’m also concerned that it seems to be very vague as to what the ultimate objective is—the day after, the lack of a day after plan has been one of the defects.

Bolduan: What do you think it is? Do you think that this is just a step to taking over the entire enclave?

Blumenthal: My hope is that ceasefire talks will continue even as the Israeli forces begin to prepare for this supposed new offensive. I hope that a ceasefire is achievable with return of the hostages—it ought to be a priority—and humanitarian aid. I refuse to give up hope on a ceasefire, and the United States ought to press for it.

Bolduan: Senator Richard Blumenthal, thank you so much, Senator. Really appreciate your time, especially on an important day like this.

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