Richard Blumenthal are urging quick action by the US as Russia escalates its war in Ukraine, including the passage of a bipartisan bill they’ve introduced implementing sanctions on Moscow that they say could be the “sledgehammer” President Donald Trump needs to end the conflict.

Marco Rubio and Sergei Lavrov exchanged new ideas for ending the Ukraine conflict amid Trump's consideration of increased sanctions against Russia and military aid to Ukraine

A bipartisan U.S. bill that would hit Russia with sanctions in a bid to pressure Moscow into good-faith peace negotiations with Ukraine has gained momentum this week in Congress, but it still lacks the presidential push it needs to get over the finish line.