The Senate voted Wednesday, 97-2, to pass a measure that would toughen sanctions on Russian Federation and would prevent the White House from unilaterally removing the sanctions imposed by his predecessor, former President Barack Obama in 2014 and 2016. The sanctions are in response to the violation of the territorial integrity of the Ukraine and Crimea, cyber-attacks and interference in elections and continuing aggression in Syria.
It also allows Congress to review any administration attempts to ease, suspend or end sanctions.
The Russian provisions would add people involved in the alleged Russian hacking attacks on the United States election to the sanctions list and impose penalties for delivery of weapons to the Syrian regime, hitting areas of the Russian economy such as mining and the energy sector.
It was introduced amid an intense focus in the U.S. capital on relations with Russian Federation and an investigation into whether Mr Trump's associates colluded with Moscow to influence the 2016 election.
Under President Obama, top White House officials warned that sanctions would be unsafe to the legitimacy of the nuclear deal signed with Iran.
Trump officials have been eager to crack down on Iran's non-nuclear illicit activities, and have squeezed the country with additional sanctions while they conduct a comprehensive Iran policy review.
Trump has been a staunch supporter of improving relations with the United States' former Cold War foe.
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The only senators who voted against the measure were Republicans Rand Paul and Mike Lee. "These additional sanctions will also send a powerful and bipartisan statement to Russian Federation and any other country who might try to interfere in our elections that they will be punished".
"We need this amendment because we have no time to waste", said Republican Sen. "It is unacceptable for Russian Federation to interfere in our elections here in the United States, or anywhere around the world".
Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican, ticked off a series of Russian aggressions that he said have gone without retaliation: annexation of Crimea, intervention in Syria, meddling in Ukraine and threatening North Atlantic Treaty Organisation countries, as well as the US election interference.
The Senate nearly unanimously approved legislation Thursday that slaps sanctions on Iran and Russian Federation.
On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the US further sanctions would damage relations, though stopped short of saying how the Russian government would respond in kind. Certain Russian industries, like its mining and metals industries, would also be targeted.
Then-President Barack Obama in late December ordered sanctions on Russian spy agencies, closed two Russian compounds and expelled 35 diplomats the USA said were really spies.
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