Senators on war in Ukraine, Russia sanctions and State Department firings
(CBS, KYMA/KECY) - Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) spoke with Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation Sunday about the ongoing war in Ukraine.
According to Brennan, Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, will be in Washington this week to meet with President Donald Trump, who is reportedly considering "fresh funding for Ukraine" as the war escalates.
This prompted Brennan to ask Senator Graham what he knows about the upcoming meeting, to which he said:
"I don't want to get ahead of the President, but I'm having dinner, along with Senator Blumenthal and other senators, with Secretary General Mark Rutte, tomorrow night. A turning point regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine is coming. For months, President Trump has tried to entice Putin to the peace table. He's put tariffs against countries that allow fentanyl to come in our country. Other bad behavior. He's left the door open regarding Russia. That door is about to close. Dick and I have got 85 co-sponsors in the United States Senate for congressional sanctions with a sledgehammer available to President Trump to go after Putin's economy, and all those countries who prop up the Putin war machine. China, India, and Brazil buy oil and petroleum products and other goods from Russia. That's the money Putin uses to prosecute the war. And this congressional package that we're looking at would give President Trump the ability to impose 500% tariffs on any country that helps Russia, and props up Putin's war machine. He can dial it up or down. He can go to 0%, to 500%. He has maximum flexibility. But we're going after the people who keep Putin in business and additional sanctions on Russia itself. This is truly a sledgehammer available to President Trump to end this war."
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
During the interview, Graham, along with Senator Blumenthal, gave an update on the bipartisan push for new sanctions on Russia.
"This has to be a critical moment for these sanctions and bringing down this sledgehammer at this moment was emphasized by all of the European allies who were at the meeting that Senator Graham and I attended in Europe. They are absolutely in solidarity. One after another, in that closed-door setting, expressed the view that the sanctions have to be tough and rigorous to change behavior. And so, the waiver language that we will have in this bill is very much alike the provisions that have existed in past, similar measures that give the President the ability to act in the national security, but also provide congressional oversight. And, I think that kind of assurance to my Democratic colleagues is very important. But, what is most important, I think, at this moment, is our unity. Senator Graham and I, Republican and Democrat, coming together, the European leaders with diverse views, also in unity. And we want to make use of the seized assets, again, in a unified way. I think a multi-faceted approach here is the only way to bring Putin to the table, because he's a thug. He understands only force."
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
Later in the interview, the senators shared their reaction to the news of the mass firings at the State Department last week.
"If you're telling me we can't reduce the number of people working in the State Department and still run it effectively, I don't buy that. We can do both," Graham expressed.
"That's a really important question because Pam Bondi has so politicized, and weaponized the Department of Justice and now firing these career professionals who have devoted their lives to the Department of Justice, it's only one facet of the continuing politicization. And, yes, Congress ought to be investigating. The Judiciary Committee ought to begin, right away, its inquiry. But, I'm calling for an Inspector General investigation, not only of these firings, but also of the dropping of a prosecution into the Utah physician who was mid-trial on charges of conspiracy, fraud against the government, in connection with a COVID vaccine scheme, apparently, at the behest of politicians who were deeply angry about the MAGA issue there. And, I believe strongly that now Congress must investigate."
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
To watch more of Brennan's interview with Blumenthal and Graham, click here.
