U.S. senators reach deal on Russia sanctions

U.S. senators reached anagreement on Monday on legislation imposing new sanctions onRussia, including a provision that would prevent the White House from easing, suspending or ending sanctions withoutcongressional approval.

The agreement, to be filed as an amendment to an Iransanctions bill, is intended to punish Russia over issuesincluding its alleged meddling in the 2016 U.S. election,annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region and support for thegovernment of Syria in that country's six-year-long civil war.

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The Iran bill is due for a vote as soon as thisweek.

Besides the provision setting up a process for Congress toreview changes in sanctions, the measure would put into lawsanctions previously established via presidential executiveorder, including some on certain Russian energy projects anddebt financing in some industries.

Bipartisan agreement should pass easily

It would impose new sanctions on Russians found to be guiltyof human rights abuses, supplying weapons to Syria's governmentand conductingcyberattacks on behalf of Russia's government,among others.

The measure also would allow new sanctions on Russianmining, metals, shipping and railways.

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The legislation is backed by both Republicans and Democrats,and is expected to easily pass the Senate.

It was introduced amid an intense focus in the U.S. capitalon relations with Russia, and investigations by the Departmentof Justice and congressional committees of whether Russia soughtto influence the 2016 U.S. elections to help elect RepublicanPresident Donald Trump, and whether Trump associates colludedwith Moscow as it sought to influence the election.

Enough support to override veto

To become law, the legislation would have to pass the Houseof Representatives and be signed into law by Trump. If Trumpobjected, some of its backers said they expected enoughcongressional support to override a veto.

"These additional sanctions will ... send a powerful andbipartisan statement to Russia and any other country who mighttry to interfere in our elections that they will be punished,"Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement.

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Russia has denied attempting to interfere in the U.Selection, and Trump has dismissed any talk of collusion.

The measure also authorizes "robust assistance" tostrengthen democratic institutions and counter disinformationin European countries that might be targeted by what thelegislation's sponsors described as Russian aggression.

In December, the final full month of BarackObama's administration, Washington sanctioned Russian businessmen and companies for Moscow's role in Ukraine viaexecutive order.