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U.S. Senate Will Not Prepare New Russia Sanctions

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The United States will not prepare a new round of sanctions against Russia in the near future.

The U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has instead decided to focus on a measure to counter Russian influence in Eastern Europe.

“We're going to do an Iran sanctions bill...We're also working together on a bill to push back against Russia in Europe and what they're doing,” Republican Senator Bob Corker, the committee's chairman, told the Politico news site. “Those are the two courses of action that we're taking.”

The new measure against Russia will likely draw from a previous bill proposed by ranking Democrat Senator Ben Cardin in January. That bill included a new round of sanctions intended as retaliation for Russia's alleged intervention in the U.S. presidential election.

The decision not to prepare a new raft of sanctions is likely tied to receding fears that U.S. President Donald Trump would take a pro-Moscow stance.

“I think there's a general understanding that there isn't going to be an attempt by this administration, which people feared at one time, including me, to undo sanctions,” Corker said on Monday.

The Senator suggested that the Senate Intelligence Committee should complete its investigation into Russia's involvement in the election before more sanctions were approved.

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