President Joe Biden needs to stop holding back sanctions on Vladimir Putin and Russia after the invasion of Ukraine, according to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who wants to push all the chips in on sanctions.
"Ratchet the sanctions all the way up: Don't hold any back," McConnell said Thursday, The Hill reported.
"Every single available tough sanction should be employed and should be employed now."
"Look, I just told you how I feel about the Russians: Vladimir Putin is a bad guy; he's an authoritarian," McConnell told the pressing media, according to The Hill, about Trump's praise. "He yearns for an empire, and we need to do everything we can to stop it."
One area in which Biden drew criticism was the decision not to cut Russia off from SWIFT, the global messaging system used to move money around the world.
That would have hindered the country's ability to profit from the global energy market, which operates largely in U.S. dollars.
"It is always an option but right now that's not the position that the rest of Europe wishes to take," Biden told reporters.
Penalties directly targeting Russian leader Vladimir Putin remain an option.
"It's not a bluff, it's on the table," Biden said, refusing to take the step for which McConnell is calling.