Senate advances measure for sanctions on 3 Russian firms

WASHINGTON — The Senate advanced a Democratic resolution that would block relief from U.S. sanctions for three Russian companies linked to oligarch Oleg Deripaska, with almost a dozen Republicans aiding the effort in a rare split with President Donald Trump’s administration.

The 57-42 vote to take up the measure Tuesday came shortly after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin lobbied GOP senators at the Capitol and said he’s not backing down from his Dec. 19 announcement that the U.S. would lift sanctions against three companies Deripaska controls: United Co. Rusal, En Plus Group Plc and EuroSibEnergo JSC.

“We have great responsibility in managing sanctions programs all over the world and we take those responsibilities very seriously,” Mnuchin told reporters after he met privately with Senate Republicans.

Democrats are questioning the administration’s motives at a time when Special Counsel Robert Mueller is continuing his probe of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible connections to Trump’s campaign. Still, the measure has a difficult road ahead because Trump could veto it if both chambers were to pass it.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, sponsor of the measure, S.J. Res. 2, said Deripaska has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin and was a client of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort. Sanctions shouldn’t be removed from companies Deripaska partly owns while the Mueller probe continues, Schumer said on the Senate floor.