U.S. Congress reacts to Trump’s decision to lift Russian sanctions

Members of the United States Congress, including Republicans, are expressing significant dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump’s recent policy shifts regarding Russia and Ukraine. Tensions escalated following the President’s decision to lift certain sanctions against Moscow and his announcement of a deal to import Russian diesel to lower domestic fuel prices.

Lawmakers have criticized the administration’s moves, noting that the sanctions had previously been passed with broad bipartisan support. Senator Tom Tillis described the administration’s actions as “irresponsible,” questioning why the President is bypassing legislation passed by an 86-11 Senate vote. Concerns have also been raised regarding potential reductions in intelligence sharing with Kyiv and unexplained disruptions to U.S.-controlled satellite systems used for Ukrainian defense.

In response, Republican and Democratic senators, including Richard Blumenthal and Tom Tillis, held an emergency call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reassure him of continued Congressional support. While some legislators are seeking new agreements with Kyiv, others are threatening to block key administration initiatives in protest of the shift in foreign policy.