Putin: New sanctions will 'complicate' Russia-US ties

John McCain of Arizona, the Republican chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said ahead of the vote.

"Unless and until Russian Federation pays a price for its actions, these destabilizing activities will continue", he added.

"The president can't remove a sanction until he's given Congress notice and an opportunity to review", Cardin said.

Senior aides told Reuters they expected some sanctions package would eventually pass, but they expected the measure would be changed in the House.

The bill would also impose sanctions on Iran with regard to its ballistic missile activities that are not linked to the nuclear agreement the Arab country signed with the USA and other countries. So the White House would have to reject stricter punishments against Iran, which it favors, in order to derail the parts of the legislation it may object to.

Senators Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) voted against the amendment, while Chris Van Hollen (D-Maryland) abstained.

The House will take up the legislation next, although it has not yet scheduled any vote.

Last week, the former FBI Director James Comey stated that there had been many stories about Russian Federation which are “just dead wrong” but, nonetheless, reiterated the “high-confidence judgement” that Moscow had systematically interfered in the United States elections a year ago without ever showing a shred of evidence for it.

But Democrats said the message of the Russian Federation sanctions was aimed not just at Moscow, but also at the White House. Russian Federation is monitoring the situation closely, the Kremlin spokesman said. And while Congress certainly has a constitutional role to play in foreign relations, the ship of state sails most smoothly with one captain, not 535.

The discussions gathered steam late last month after Sen. The deal ensures "that the United States continues to punish President Putin for his reckless and destabilizing actions", Schumer wrote in a statement that not-so-subtly suggests Trump might try to remove the sanctions. But if the president vetoes the legislation - after questioning whether Russian Federation did meddle in the election and amid the ongoing investigations - it could anger even Republicans and bring about an embarrassing override.

The enormous support from the Senate sets up a showdown between Congress and President Trump.

Tillerson, who has said he wants to improve relations with Russian Federation, urged lawmakers Wednesday not to constrict the administration. Special Counsel Robert Mueller is conducting a separate probe.

- Allow broad new sanctions on key sectors of Russia's economy, including mining, metals, shipping and railways. Indeed, the bill requires a congressional review if the president attempts to ease or end sanctions against Moscow, according to the Associated Press.