Republicans are showing a growing appetite for long-threatened sanctions that would seek to cut off Russia from vital trading partners like China, India and possibly Europe, as President Trump looks for leverage to stop the Ukraine war.

Trump earlier this week sided with Ukraine hawks in Congress when he said the U.S. would continue providing crucial Patriot air-defense missiles and other weapons to Kyiv, apparently overruling a Pentagon directive days earlier pausing those shipments.

The president has also been displaying a mounting frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin, prompting GOP leaders in Congress to show renewed interest in a sweeping sanctions regime.

“Vladimir Putin has shown an unwillingness to be reasonable and to talk seriously about brokering a peace, and I think we have to send him a message — that’s my view,” Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters Wednesday when asked about a sanctions bill.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said the Senate was working out the details of a Russia sanctions bill with White House and expects it to move by the August recess.

The bill, introduced by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), has more than 80 co-sponsors, but GOP leaders have been waiting on a green light from Trump to proceed.

Trump has avoided staking out a firm position on the proposal, but he has repeatedly said he’s considering it. The latest version........

© The Hill