US lawmakers plan to include Russia sanctions bill in government funding bill

According to foreign media reports, two US lawmakers pushing for tough sanctions against Russia said on Saturday that they would urge their colleagues to tie a tough sanctions bill against Russia to legislation that must be passed to ensure the functioning of the federal government this week. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Representative Brian Fitzpatrick have been pushing for months for legislation to impose sanctions on Russia if it refuses to negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine, including secondary sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil. Senate and House leaders have yet to put the bill to a vote because Trump is wary of sanctions against Russia, preferring to impose tariffs on goods from India. The sponsors of the mandatory government funding bill, known as the "continuing resolution" (CR), offer a way to pass the bill.