That included a Monday joint statement from Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal calling Trump’s threat of ramped-up economic penalties if Russia doesn’t cut a peace deal in next 50 days “a real executive hammer to drive the parties to the negotiating table.”

Donald Trump has threatened Russia with “very severe tariffs​” should it fail to reach a cease-fire deal with Ukraine within 50 days, signaling a hardened U.S. stance as the war enters a volatile new phase.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sacrificed an estimated 1 million of his soldiers, killed and wounded, in a three-year campaign to crush Ukraine