Republican Senator Chuck Grassley urged President Donald Trump to “at least” impose sanctions on Russia following the largest drone attack by Moscow against Ukraine since the war began more than three years ago.

“I’ve had enuf of Putin killing innocent ppl. Pres Trump Take action AT LEAST SANCTIONS,” Grassley said in a post on X.

I’ve had enuf of Putin killing innocent ppl. Pres Trump Take action AT LEAST SANCTIONS — Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) May 26, 2025

An Ukrainian official told The Associated Press on Monday that Russia had launched the largest drone attack overnight, including 355 such aircraft. It had fired 298 drones and 69 missiles the day prior, and between Friday and Sunday the figure reached 900 drones. It comes as Moscow assembles forces for a summer offensive, according to analysts cited by the outlet.

“Only a sense of complete impunity can allow Russia to carry out such attacks and continually escalate their scale,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Telegram. “There is no significant military logic to this, but there is considerable political meaning.”

Donald Trump did criticize Putin on Sunday, saying he had gone “crazy” following the attack. “I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him,” Trump said during a passage of his message posted on his social media platform, Truth Social.

“He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever,” Trump added. He also criticized Zelensky, saying “everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop.”

The Kremlin largely dismissed Trump’s statement, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling Reuters that “this is a a very crucial moment, which is associated, of course, with the emotional overload of everyone absolutely and with emotional reactions.”

“We are really grateful to the Americans and to President Trump personally for their assistance in organizing and launching this negotiation process,” Peskov added.

“IVE SEEN ENOUGH KILLING OF INNOCENT UKRAINIAN women + children,” Grassley wrote on social media leading into the weekend. “President Trump pls put the toughest of sanctions on Putin. U ought to c from clear evidence that he is playing America as a patsy.”

Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa said that Kremlin strongman Vladimir Putin “is playing America as a patsy” and he urged President Donald Trump to lodge tougher sanctions in order to jump-start Russian negotiations with Ukraine.

IVE SEEN ENOUGH KILLING OF INNOCENT UKRAINIAN women + children. President Trump pls put the toughest of sanctions on Putin. U ought to c from clear evidence that he is playing America as a patsy

“Russia started this war and has been the aggressor and violator in the conflict. Ukraine deserves the right to defend itself,” she wrote.

“Rewarding an aggressor will only lead to more aggressive actions,” she had written earlier in the week. “Failing to stand up for democracies who are invaded will lead to more invasions of free countries. To reward Russia for bad behavior and punish Ukraine for fighting to defend itself would be a terrible injustice, America should know the difference between right and wrong and want to be on the right side of history.”

Former US Ambassador to the UN and once presidential rival to Trump in Republican primaries, former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, responded to Grassley’s tweet with an “AMEN”.

“I would put more sanctions on Russia right now,” Grassley said. “And if we don’t want to give more armaments (to Ukraine), we ought to at least have the Patriot missiles so they can protect themselves.”

At a Republican town hall gathering in Northwood, Iowa, on Friday, someone in the crowd asked Grassley about the mounting death toll in the war and what he thought the American response should be.

According to a study performed by the Pew Research Center earlier this month, Republicans are less likely than they were a year ago to say that Ukraine has the right to defend itself against Russia.

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“Republicans have also become less likely to say the US has a responsibility to help Ukraine defend itself and to express concern about Russia defeating Ukraine or invading other countries in the region,” the authors of the study wrote. “As a result of this change in opinion, the partisan gap on many of these issues has grown.”

“For example, when asked whether Russia is an enemy, competitor, or partner of the US, 40% of Republicans say Russia is an enemy, down from 58% last year. The share of Democrats and Democratic leaners who see Russia as an enemy is down 5 percentage points over the same period. Overall, half of Americans now call Russia an enemy, down from 61% in 2024.”

But as Trump, their party’s leader, grows weary of Putin’s stalling in the peace process and angrier at Putin’s mounting civilian strikes, there is reason to believe other Republicans are feeling the same way.

In a Truth Social post following his meeting with the Ukrainian leader in the Vatican after Pope Francis’ funeral, Trump questioned whether Putin is truly interested in ending the war, suggesting Moscow might need to face tougher measures like “banking” penalties or “secondary sanctions.”

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While Grassley and Haley have been fairly consistent in expressing worries that Trump is too cozy with Putin, others in Republican leadership have made efforts in recent days to put the screws to the Kremlin strongman.

Two dozen Republican senators last week, led by Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, co-sponsored a bill that would increase that pressure.

The legislation, called “The Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025” calls for both primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and its enablers if the Kremlin refuses to engage in good faith negotiations for peace with Ukraine, “or initiates another effort, including military invasion, that undermines the sovereignty of Ukraine after peace is negotiated,” as they put it.

It also would impose a 500 percent tariff on imported goods from countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium and other products.

“They are hard hitting for a reason,” Sen. Graham and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said in a joint statement.

That legislation, introduced on Tuesday, now sits in the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs for discussion.

When interviewed by ABC on Saturday, one Democratic observer, former National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, emphasized, “Russia started this war, not Ukraine, and it’s Russia, Vladimir Putin in particular, who’s the main obstacle to getting a ceasefire, and there have been moments when it seems like President Trump might have gotten that.

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“Today may be one of those moments. Unfortunately, every time there’s a glimmer of recognition that Putin’s responsible, President Trump snaps back and puts all the pressure on Ukraine and makes more concessions to Russia. I hope that doesn’t happen again,” he said.

Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., said in an interview tonight that acting U.S. Attorney Alina Habba’s office had been in touch with hers for a week before charges were filed yesterday.

McIver said on MSNBC that Habba tried to get her to admit having done things she didn’t do outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Newark this month.

“We’ve had a week of back and forth with them, and I will say that I did not waver. You know, I showed up there to do my job, and she wanted me to admit to doing things, all of these different lists of things that she said that I did,” McIver said.

“She wanted me to admit to these things, sign an agreement to them. And I’m not doing that, you know, because it’s not true. I mean, there was a lot of back and forth and just tenseness, you know, all week from her and from her office,” she added.

Habba’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment this evening.

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Grassley’s Call for Tougher Sanctions on Russia Republican Senator Chuck Grassley publicly urged President

Grassley’s call comes amid continued atrocities in Ukraine, where, since 2022, the Russian military’s actions have sparked outrage globally.

“IVE SEEN ENOUGH KILLING OF INNOCENT UKRAINIAN women + children,” Grassley wrote on X, addressing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The senator’s tweet reflected his frustration with the lack of action taken against Putin despite the ongoing violence.

“President Trump pls put the toughest of sanctions on Putin,” Grassley continued. “You ought to see from clear evidence that he is playing America as a patsy.”

Here’s everything to know about Grassley’s Trump plea.

MORE:

Republican Senatorpublicly urged President Donald Trump on Friday, April 25, to impose “the toughest of sanctions” on Russia, asserting that Russian President Vladimir Putin is “playing America as a patsy,” the New York Post reported.Grassley’s call comes amid continued atrocities in Ukraine, where, since 2022, the Russian military’s actions have sparked outrage globally.”IVE SEEN ENOUGH KILLING OF INNOCENT UKRAINIAN women + children,” Grassley wrote on X, addressing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The senator’s tweet reflected his frustration with the lack of action taken against Putin despite the ongoing violence.”President Trump pls put the toughest of sanctions on Putin,” Grassley continued. “You ought to see from clear evidence that he is playing America as a patsy.”Here’s everything to know about Grassley’s Trump plea.MORE: Follow Wonderwall on MSN for more top news

Russia’s Attack on Kyiv and Grassley’s Response Chuck Grassley’s comments came a day after Russia launched a deadly attack on Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. The assault, which involved drones and ballistic missiles, was the deadliest in nearly a year, resulting in the deaths of 12 people and leaving nearly 90 others injured.

This devastating attack led to increased calls from lawmakers, including Grassley, for stronger measures to hold Russia accountable for its actions.

As the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Grassley’s call for tougher sanctions represents a broader push in the U.S. Senate for more aggressive measures against Russia in response to its continued aggression toward Ukraine.

Trump’s Message on Peace Talks and Russian Strikes While Chuck Grassley was pushing for sanctions, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to share an update on the status of the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Trump stated that “work on the overall Peace Deal between Russia and Ukraine is going smoothly” and

Trump also voiced his dissatisfaction with the Russian strikes on Kyiv, saying, “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing.” He directly addressed Putin in a message on his social media platform: “Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the Peace Deal DONE!”

While Chuck Grassley was pushing for sanctions, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to share an update on the status of the peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. Trump stated that “work on the overall Peace Deal between Russia and Ukraine is going smoothly” and called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to sign a rare earth minerals deal with the U.S., which he claimed was “at least three weeks late.” Trump’s posts were marked by his belief that peace was achievable but were juxtaposed with criticisms of Russian actions.Trump also voiced his dissatisfaction with the Russian strikes on Kyiv, saying, “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing.” He directly addressed Putin in a message on his social media platform: “Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Let’s get the Peace Deal DONE!”

Trump’s Criticism of Zelensky’s Stance on Crimea In a separate post, Donald Trump criticized Volodymyr Zelensky for his refusal to recognize Crimea as part of Russian territory, which has been a sticking point in peace negotiations.

Trump argued that Zelensky’s stance would only prolong the conflict. He wrote, “Zelensky boasting about his refusal to recognize Crimea as Russian territory will do nothing but prolong the war.”

More detailsUnited States Senator Chuck Grassley speaking at the Night of the Rising Stars in Des Moines, Iowa, April 2, 2011. Photo dated 2 April 2011, 16:45. (Wikimedia Commons/Public/By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America – Chuck Grassley, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=60001177) ©(Wikimedia Commons/Public/By Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America – Chuck Grassley, CC BY-SA 2.0)

Russia was playing the United States for a fool and its longtime leader should be placed under the most stringent sanctions, Republican Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley warned President Donald Trump Friday in the wake of Russian strikes on Ukraine and ongoing negotiations.

Grassley said that Trump should “pls put the toughest of sanctions on [Russia’s President Vladimir] Putin” as “U ought to c from clear evidence that he is playing America as a patsy.”

Grassley, 91, who also serves as the president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, said he could not bear to see the killing of noncombatant Ukrainian women and children continue.

Grassley’s statement followed Russian strikes on Ukraine Thursday — as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was attending the G20 summit in South Africa. Russia fired nearly 70 missiles and used 150-odd attack drones, killing nine people in Kyiv, injuring over 80 people in other parts of the country, and causing “significant destruction,” Zelenskyy said.

The strikes came 43 days after Ukraine and not Russia agreed to a ceasefire proposal from the U.S., Zelenskyy said.

The death toll in Kyiv later rose to 12, according to Zelenskyy.

The missile fired on Kyiv was a ballistic missile made in North Korea with most of its components originating from American companies, Zelenskyy said.

The strikes appeared to draw Trump’s ire. “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!” Trump wrote.

A car explosion in Moscow killed senior Russian military officer Yaroslav Moskalik, 59, Friday, according to Russian state-owned news outlet TASS. The U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff held a “constructive and very useful” meeting with Putin the same day, according to the outlet. The U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg held talks with Ukrainian officials in London Wednesday, Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian presidency’s office, posted. Kellogg called the talks “positive.”

Russia’s domestic security agency, the FSB, arrested a man they described as Ukrainian special services agent Ignat Kuzin in connection with Lieutenant General Moskalik’s killing, TASS separately reported.

Putin had promised an Easter Day, April 20, ceasefire — nonetheless, Russia violated the ceasefire 2,935 times on Easter Day alone, according to Zelenskyy. Russian strikes reportedly killed at least 34 people in Sumy, Ukraine, on Palm Sunday, April 13 as people went to church. (RELATED: Russian Missile Attack Kills Dozens Of Civilians In Ukraine On Palm Sunday)

“The Russian army is one of the biggest threats to Christian churches and believers. Over the years of full-scale war, 67 Ukrainian priests, pastors and monks have been killed or tortured by Russian occupiers. 640 religious sites have been destroyed, most of them Christian,” Zelenskyy wrote before the Easter attacks.

Trump and Zelenskyy met Saturday while attending the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican. It was a “good and “[v]ery symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results,” Zelenskyy said, while also sharing a picture of both leaders in apparent conversation with each other.

Both leaders differed on the ownership of Crimea. “Crimea will stay with Russia,” Trump told TIME, while also saying Ukraine’s desire to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) started the war. Zelenskyy reacted to the remark by telling reporters that Crimea and all other Russian-occupied territories constitutionally belonged to Ukraine, the BBC reported.

Trump said there had been ” a good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine.” Both sides “are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off,’” he added.

“We will be wherever is necessary to help facilitate the END to this cruel and senseless war!” Trump wrote.