(Reuters) -Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he had discussed improved air defences and intensified sanctions against Russia with two U.S. lawmakers who are backing a bill to impose tougher punitive measures against Moscow.

Flattery and pressure — coupled with President Trump’s growing dissatisfaction with President Vladimir V. Putin — have helped build momentum for new economic punishments.

A change to a nuclear-related license fueled the claim that the Trump administration lifted U.S. sanctions on Russia.

Slovakia aims to reach an agreement with the European Commission and EU partners by Tuesday on guarantees it will not suffer from the end of Russian gas supplies and on a new sanctions package against Russia,

Momentum has been building behind a bipartisan bill to impose sanctions on countries that purchase Russian oil, as Republicans work behind the scenes to win President Trump’s support.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) says it is his “hope” that the Senate passes legislation to place tough sanctions on Russia by the August recess through a bipartisan proposal sponsored

A Dutch court has convicted a 43-year-old Russian man for breaching international sanctions. He was accused of sharing sensitive information from Dutch semiconductor company ASML and another tech firm with someone in Russia.

Oil prices rose on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would make an announcement regarding Russia, raising the prospect of more sanctions on the major oil producer, while tariff concern and rising OPEC+ output capped gains.