Trump is secretly pressuring the Senate over Graham's sanctions against Russia: they want to trade with Putin.

The Trump administration wants to ease the law on sanctions against Russia

Officials from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump have expressed a desire to make changes to the legislation concerning sanctions against Russia that senators are working on. Trump is concerned that this may hinder his efforts to improve relations with the Kremlin, despite promises to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.

Administration officials and representatives of the White House have secretly discussed with Senator Graham's office the possibility of details in the legislation. They proposed adding provisions that would allow Trump to unilaterally determine whom or what to sanction.

Negotiators also considered the possibility of changing mandatory wording in the text to weaken its effect, for example, replacing 'must' with 'may'. Senator Richard Blumenthal confirmed the confidential discussions with the White House but declined to comment on their content.

Political tensions over sanctions discussions

It is known that Trump was irritated by Operation 'Spider Web', which led to a change in his support for military aid to Ukraine.

The Trump administration's attempt to soften the law on sanctions against Russia could significantly affect relations between the U.S. and Russia, as well as the situation in Ukraine. Open negotiations about changes to the legislation indicate the complexity and tension in relations between Congress and the administration on foreign policy.