US senators are urging the Trump administration to utilize frozen Russian assets to exert pressure on Moscow.

In the US, a bipartisan group of senators has called on President Donald Trump’s administration to convince the US’ European allies to confiscate over $300B in frozen Russian assets to assist Kyiv. The letter, addressed to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and signed by Republican senators Todd Young and Lindsey Graham along with Democrats Richard Blumenthal and Tim Kaine, inquires: “Does the administration believe that assets under US and EU control should be leveraged in negotiations with Russia to end the war?”

The senators also seek to understand whether the administration plans to devise a strategy to encourage the EU, G7 countries, and other allies to utilize sovereign Russian assets. Questions still remain regarding the American government’s support for Ukraine’s use of Russian sovereign assets that are currently under US control in order to procure defense equipment.

Senior officials are publicly pressuring the Trump administration to adopt a tougher stance with Moscow in peace negotiations. This letter was sent on March 21, just days before a new round of negotiations between the US and Russia commenced.