Senate Republicans are seizing on President Trump's growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin to argue the time to impose fresh sanctions on Russia is now.

Why it matters: Trump's tone on Putin has shifted in recent days, calling the Russian president "crazy" and warning he is "playing with fire" in Ukraine while Trump heads off "really bad things."

• The Kremlin dismissed Trump's criticisms — after Russia escalated its missile and drone attacks against Kyiv this weekend — with its former president Dmitry Medvedev posting on X: "I only know of one REALLY BAD thing — WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!"

🥊 Zoom in: The Senate wants to translate Trump's words into action.

• "ITS TIME FOR SANCTIONS STRONG ENUF SO PUTIN KNOWS 'game over,'" Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) posted today on X.
• "Pres Trump shld take the decisive action agst Putin that he takes agst Harvard," Grassley said in another post. "Sanctions for Putin like no fed grants for Harvard."

Zoom out: Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said last week he is ready to move on a popular, bipartisan sanctions bill if Russia won't come to the table in good faith.

• But he was also clear that he "will work" with the White House on timing and implementation.
• Trump's latest criticisms could give Thune the space he needs to move forward as pressure from Russia hawks in his own conference builds.
• Senate Democrats have been frustrated Thune isn't moving faster to bring sanctions to the floor for a vote.

Driving the news: Trump's rhetoric against Putin echoed throughout the Senate today.

• "I'd love to do it with or without the White House, but I want to do it the way that's most helpful to the White House as well," Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) told reporters about moving forward with sanctions.
• "Same ol', same ol' from Putin's Russia," Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) posted. "There's a new sheriff in town. The old playbook won't work this time."
• Graham published a response to a Wall Street Journal op-ed, arguing in favor of more sanctions.

The bottom line: Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) have a bill to hit Russia with economic sanctions if Putin refuses to negotiate with Ukraine — or if Russia launches another attack after a peace deal is reached.

• The legislation sets a 500% tariff on goods imported from countries that buy Russian oil.
• It has 82 cosponsors.

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— Stef Kight and Hans Nichols

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer will spend the week away from D.C. campaigning against the GOP's "big, beautiful bill."

Why it matters: Schumer is placing pressure on fractures that are already present among Senate Republicans, most prominently proposed cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP.

• Schumer made stops today at two charities in Rochester and Oswego in Upstate New York, slamming Republicans for proposed cuts to food assistance programs.
• He'll hit New York City later this week to talk about rising energy costs, fighting back against GOP attacks on clean energy projects.
• Moderate Senate Republicans have raised concerns about the cuts to social programs, while conservatives are hammering the table for even deeper spending reductions.

The big picture: Schumer and Democratic leadership want to make parts of the bill so unpopular — like the cuts to Medicaid and SNAP — that the legislation backfires on Republicans in the 2026 midterms.

• Schumer announced this week that Senate Democrats will unanimously oppose the reconciliation package on the Senate floor.
• "This bill is downright ugly — a job killer, a price raiser, a care slasher and massive pile on to the national debt," Schumer said at an event in New York City yesterday.

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— Stephen Neukam