Former Vice President Pence urged the Senate on Thursday to pass a major sanctions bill against Russia, arguing that the hefty tariffs, along with continued military aid to Ukraine, provide the best “pathway” to reaching peace in Eastern Europe.

“He's fully capable of doing the diplomatic thing and being friendly and shaking hands and at the same time saying, here's the economic consequences that are going to happen, unless you step forward,” Pence said of President Trump during his appearance on NewsNation’s show “The Hill."

“If we pass those secondary sanctions, Vladimir Putin will understand that we could literally break their economy and by providing continued military support for Ukraine, that combination of efforts, I think, is the best pathway to peace,” the former vice president told host Blake Burman.

The sanctions bill, which has been pushed by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), would impose 500 percent tariffs on countries........

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