Senator John Thune on Ukraine Aid and Sanctions Bill

Ukraine Aid and Communication

• 🇺🇦 Senator Thune acknowledges the president's stance on the importance of continuing support for Ukraine.
• 💬 He states that the communication between the White House and the Secretary of Defense regarding Ukraine aid is something they will need to work out.
• ✅ The president's statement on supporting Ukraine is considered the definitive one and likely to be echoed by many in Congress.

Sanctions Bill Progress

• 🏛️ Thune expresses hope that the Graham sanctions bill can be brought to the Senate floor before the August recess.
• 🤝 Efforts are underway to collaborate with the administration and the House to finalize the bill's form.
• 📈 There is significant bipartisan support for the bill in both the Senate and the House.

Timeline and White House Cooperation

• 🗣️ Communication with the White House is ongoing, with teams regularly in touch to game out the accomplishment of bringing the bill forward.
• 🔑 The sanctions bill is viewed as an important message and leverage for White House negotiations with the Russians.
• 🎯 Thune believes that the sooner the bill is executed, the better, but emphasizes the need for buy-in from the White House, House, and Senate colleagues.