The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation allowing the president to waive penalties against countries that purchase weapons from sanctioned Russian defense companies if they are seeking closer ties with Washington.
U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis sought the waiver authority, which was approved by the House on July 26 as part of a massive defense bill, saying it would help countries like India which had close ties with Moscow in the past but are now trying to “pull away from the Russian orbit.”
