Analysis Veteran senator backs 'bone-breaking' sanctions on Russia

Has Lindsey Graham been playing the long game with Donald Trump? The Republican senator, who has calibrated his pro-Ukraine support since Donald Trump's inauguration to stay in the president's orbit, has said he expects that the Senate will begin moving his sanctioning Russia bill, a bill that he says would impose "bone-breaking sanctions" on Vladimir Putin and a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that buy Russian oil and other goods, potentially targeting China and India.

- Andrew Roth

The fate of the bill still depends on whether Trump gives the go-ahead, according to congressional insiders. But Trump's growing frustration with Putin has emboldened some Republicans to begin speaking out on the conflict again - with the famously flexible Graham leading the charge for tougher sanctions on the Kremlin.

Trump's shift on Russia has come as his efforts to negotiate a speedy ceasefire have failed. Talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul on Monday led to little progress, and continued outreach from his personal envoy, Steve Witkoff, to the Kremlin has not brought concessions from Putin. A leaked draft of Russia's demands at the negotiations depicted withdrawal from Ukrainian territory claimed by Russia, no Nato membership for Ukraine, caps on the size of the country's military.

Yet it has specifically been the bombardment of cities that has upset Trump, proving once again that Putin has managed to be his own worst enemy when it comes to negotiations.

"I've always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him," Trump wrote last week. "He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I'm not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever."