US Senator Says Trump Yet to Reach Out on Anti-Russian Sanctions Bill

US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Ben Cardin told Sputnik President Donald Trump has not yet reached out to discuss legislation related to anti-Russian sanctions.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik), Andrew Feinberg — On Monday, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker told reporters that legislation designed to hinder Trump’s ability to lift sanctions on Russia could soon get a hearing.

“I’ve had no contact with the Trump Administration at all on any foreign policy issues, including Russia,” Cardin said on Tuesday when asked if the president had reached out to discuss the Russia sanctions legislation.

Cardin also said that he had not been officially informed of whether the subject of sanctions came up in a phone call over the weekend between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Cardin added that, in fact, he had not received any outreach on any subject from the White House.

On Sunday, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the Trump Administration had not yet made any decision on the possibility of lifting sanctions against Russia.

Putin and Trump held their first official phone conversation on Saturday, during which they discussed the situation in the Middle East, counterterrorism efforts, non-proliferation, the Iranian nuclear program, Ukraine, and North Korea.