Donald Trump's White House may seek to water down Russian Federation sanctions

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Putin dismissed the proposed sanctions, saying they reflected an internal political struggle in the USA, and that Washington's policy of imposing sanctions on Moscow had always been to try to contain Russian Federation.

Mr Putin said that Russian Federation would be forced to make changes because of the sanctions, but they would not lead to a "collapse".

President Donald Trump campaigned on easing tensions with Russian Federation, arguing that it would be in America's best interest to try warming relations with Vladimir Putin.

If signed into law, the document would prohibit the U.S. president from being able to lift sanctions without Congressional approval.

The restrictions on President Trump to lift sanctions on Russian Federation grew out of a directive from the president his first week in office seeking a review of all sanctions imposed by the USA government.

Earlier this week the Senate voted overwhelmingly to impose new sanctions on Russian Federation. Sanders insisted his concern was that the new sanctions against Iran would imperil the P5+1 nuclear deal with Iran.

The larger bill is expected to pass the Senate by the end of the week, then be passed by the House and signed by Trump.

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Scalise, the No. 3 House Republican, arrived at the hospital via helicopter in shock, with intense internal bleeding, Sava said. The congressman underwent another surgery Saturday, and the hospital says he is more responsive and speaking with family.

In other words, the Trump administration may (again) be betting that loyalty to the president - or more likely, fear of his political base - will be more important to House Republicans than the omnipresent suspicions over, and investigation into, possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russian Federation, as well as the president's seeming attempts to dismiss that investigation.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson questioned the legislation on Wednesday, urging Congress to ensure that any sanctions package "allows the president to have the flexibility to adjust sanctions to meet the needs of what is always an evolving diplomatic situation".

Previously, U.S. energy sanctions had only targeted Russia's future high-tech energy projects, such as drilling for oil in the Arctic, fracking and offshore drilling.

The new bill would slap sanctions on companies in other countries looking to invest in those projects in the absence of USA companies, a practice known as backfilling.

However, Sen. Robert Menendez was skeptical, telling Politico, "I just cannot fathom how House Republicans could ultimately, with everything that's going on with Russia's nefarious actions, try to either deep-six the bill or dramatically change it".

The goal is to persuade the lawmakers to include in the document the amendments convenient for the Trump administration. The Senate passed the measure today by a vote of 98-2.

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