While the Biden administration in the USA continues its efforts to prevent a possible attack by Russia on Ukraine, Republican and Democratic Senators are working on a bill to help Ukraine.
A bill, prepared under the leadership of Republican Senator Ted Cruz, to impose sanctions on the Nord Stream-2 pipeline, which was established to transfer natural gas from Russia to Germany, failed to pass the Senate last week.
Opponents of this bill argued that the possible direct sanctions against the pipeline would cause the United States to come into conflict with some of its allies, primarily Germany.
A day before Cruz’s bill was brought to the agenda, Democrat Senator Robert Menendez said that in case of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, besides the pipeline, some top Russian officials, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, and banks and financial institutions will be sanctioned. introduced a draft law.
Senators of both parties are trying to create a bill that will be agreed on a common point. It is unclear when the new bill will be put to a vote in the Senate General Assembly.
According to Reuters news agency, President Joe Biden administration officials also stated that they are ready to implement the sanctions prepared by the White House in case Russia attacks. It is stated that the sanctions of the White House may cover some products exported from the USA to Russia or subject to the jurisdiction of the USA.
It is stated that the number of soldiers deployed by Russia, which occupied Ukraine and annexed Crimea in 2014, has reached 100 thousand. Russian officials deny the accusations of Ukraine and its Western allies, claiming that they are not preparing to attack Ukraine.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who went to Europe to hold talks on Ukraine’s security, said that Russia could launch a new attack against Ukraine “with very short notice”, but Washington would follow the path of diplomacy until the last moment.
Senator Rob Portman, one of the members of the delegation led by Minister Blinken, emphasized that an aid package could be introduced with a “new law” with the aim of preventing cyber attacks against Ukraine.
In the first weeks of January, a cyberattack was launched on Ukrainian government websites with the message “Fear and expect the worst”.