Donald Trump is reportedly expected to sign the Russia sanctions legislation after he read the final draft of the bill. This news was confirmed by White House after the Congress approved the policy that would press new penalties against Russia on Thursday.
Congress approves Russian sanctions bill
The Senate voted 98-2 followed by House with 419-3 vote in favor of the Russia sanctions bill which aimed at punishing Moscow over its alleged interference in the U.S. elections in 2016. The policy will also add sanctions against North Korea and Iran.
After he reviewed the initial drafts of the legislation, the POTUS reportedly discussed its "critical elements" before he was given the final version of the bill.
"He has now reviewed the final version and, based on its responsiveness to his negotiations, approves the bill and intends to sign it," a White House source said as per NBC.
Vladimir Putin, on the other hand, expressed his objection to the proposed legislation and suggested that this move is an "attempt to use geopolitical advantages in competition to pursue [the United States'] economic interests at the expense of its allies."
Members of the European Union thought the Russia sanctions bill would greatly affect European businesses which could be penalized for working with Russia. Jean-Claude Juncker suggested that the United States should work with its allies to form new sanctions.
"The U.S. bill could have unintended unilateral effects that impact the EU's energy security interests.
New sanctions should always be coordinated with allies," the EU president said.
North Korea's latest missile test
Meanwhile, several Republican lawmakers suggested that Donald Trump has all the reasons to sign the sanctions legislation following North Korea's recent nuclear test. In fact, the U.S. president condemned Pyongyang for "threatening the world."
The POTUS also guaranteed that the U.S.
government would take the necessary measures to ensure the safety of his constituents and allies. According to CNN, an intercontinental ballistic missile launch (IBML) out of North Korea was detected by Washington at around 10:45 a.m. on Friday.
The recent activity was Pyongyang's second nuclear launch for this month alone.
Pentagon, in a statement, reiterated their primary role to protect America's allies. "Our commitment to the defense of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, remains ironclad," the Defense headquarters said.
