Lankford Supports Oil Ban, Trade Sanctions on Russia

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources and Finance Committees, today voted to impose an embargo on Russian energy products and suspend normal trade relations with Russia and Belarus in response to Moscow’s ongoing aggression with the people of Ukraine. Sadly, 10.6 million Ukrainians have been displaced due to Russia’s war crimes. Lankford secured language that ensures the President is not able to reverse the oil embargo unless an agreement is reached for Russia to withdraw all forces and cease hostilities toward Ukraine. A provision was also included to sanction human rights abusers by making Global Magnitsky sanctions permanent.

“Russia continues to threaten and kill the free people of Ukraine. We should suspend normal trade relations and ban all energy imports from Russia to the US to isolate Russia’s economy and cut off American money to their war machine,” said Lankford. “By imposing this ban, Russia’s state-owned and oligarch-run enterprises financing Putin’s war will be unable to access the capital needed to kill Ukrainians. The Senate’s votes today were only a first step. We should also ensure any deal the White House brokers with Iran, through Russia, does not provide Russia an opportunity to evade sanctions and continue financing Putin’s war.”

In March, Lankford led a group of Senators to request answers from President Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on the speed, specifics, and supply of lethal aid provided to Ukraine. He introduced a Senate resolution urging the Biden Administration to facilitate the transfer of aircraft, such as MiG-29s, and air defense systems to Ukraine. He also recently introduced legislation to reauthorize the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for twelve years, until December 31, 2034. The Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which is set to expire in December 2022.

###