US Democratic senators included sanctions against Putin in the sanctions bill - WP

US Democratic senators have included in an alternative sanctions bill the possibility of sanctions against Vladimir Putin personally in the event of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, writes the Washington Post.

Senators from the Democratic Party are due today to publish a draft of new sanctions that are supposed to be introduced if Russia starts military operations against Ukraine. The bill was introduced under the auspices of Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez, a prominent Democrat. It includes broad sanctions against senior Russian military and government officials, including Putin personally, restrictions on the operation of key banking institutions and the SWIFT payment system.

In the draft law, Nord Stream 2 is called “an instrument of the malicious influence of the Russian Federation”, and in order for it not to work, it is proposed to “consider all available and appropriate measures”.

Menendez said the bill was introduced to "make it absolutely clear that the US Senate will not stand idly by when the Kremlin threatens to invade Ukraine again." The senator believes that the document sends a clear message to Russia: "Putin does not need to bring down his entire economy and he does not need to sacrifice the lives of his people in a futile attempt to rewrite the map of Europe."

A spokesman for the National Security Council has already told the publication that the White House has supported Menendez's bill: in the Biden administration, I believe that it shows how serious the costs for the Russian economy will be if "Putin decides to invade the territory of a neighboring state."

• The bill is a reflection of the internal political struggle in the United States: on Friday, the Senate is due to consider a bill introduced earlier by Republican Senator Ted Cruz, which provides for specific sanctions against Nord Stream 2. The Joe Biden administration is opposing him, as he will complicate the sanctions maneuver against Russia and embroil the US with Germany. The new bill provides an alternative to Democratic senators who supported the Republican option.