US Senator Richard Blumenthal said he and Senator Marsha Blackburn are set to introduce a resolution that would, if passed, say the Senate supports sanctioning all Russian banks, including the one that allows Russia to export energy, Report informs referring to The Wall Street Journal.
Blumenthal said under their resolution, there would be support for sanctioning Gazprombank, which would mean "Putin would be unable to collect the revenue, which is the lifeblood, of his oil and gas sales." But it would also keep any other country from doing business with Russia, he added.
Created to serve the financial needs of Russia’s Gazprom, one of the largest natural gas exporters in the world, Gazprombank is a vital part of the gas trade.
Blumenthal said more aggressive bank sanctions wouldn't just affect Russia, but China and any other nations interested in buying energy from Moscow.
"China could buy the oil, but they couldn't pay for it," he said.
Gazprombank was kept out of initial US sanctions of Russian banks because European Union diplomats said payments on gas imports need to keep going.