The scarlet thread of Maidan is causing US Republicans to face the question, "To impeach or not to impeach ..."

As the immediate payback to Putin by Trump for getting Trump esconced in the White House begins to recede from actually happening; Putin, being Putin, simply cannot abide being thwarted in his attempts to get the US sanctions against himself and his 'kleptocratic siloviki' finally lifted.

As reported by UNIAN,

"Putin is stymied by Ukraine’s growing military capability and frustrated by signs of its economic recovery, both results of the ongoing reforms, WSJ reports. Mr. Putin’s response has been to step up the aggression. 
...
The first five months of 2017 saw a steep increase in attacks on hospitals, schools, factories and other civilian targets, resulting in 44 fatalities. Terrorist bombings and assassinations in Kyiv and elsewhere have become commonplace. On June 27 and 28 car bombs killed two colonels from Ukraine’s security service. Among other cases, in late March an assassin from Russian-annexed Crimea killed a former Russian parliamentarian and Putin critic who had received asylum in Ukraine." (UNIAN : 14 July 2017) (my emphasis)

Donald Trump is completely boxed in by both the US Senate and House of Congress where US sanctions against Putin and his 'kleptocratic siloviki' are concerned.

In Trump's own words,

"We have very heavy sanctions on Russia right now," Trump told reporters on Air Force One in what was originally an off-the-record conversation Wednesday night, according to excerpts released by the White House. "I would not and have never even thought about taking them off. Somebody said, Donald Trump wants to — I don’t want to take them off." (UNIAN : 14 July 2017) (my emphasis)

There is, however, a 'Trumpian' caveat.

True to form, Trump continues,

"I would never take the sanctions off until something is worked out to our satisfaction and everybody’s satisfaction in Syria and in Ukraine," Trump said, adding later: "I’ve made great deals. That’s what I do. Why would I take sanctions off without getting anything?" (ibid UNIAN ) (my emphasis)

But, unfortunately for Trump, as yet more revelations emerge about that meeting between Trump Jnr., Jared Kushner, Paul Manafort, and a 'gaggle of Russians', many close to both Putin and  Putin's Prosecutor General, Yuri Chaika; yet again the issue of US sanctions was rearing its head even before Putin succeeded in getting Trump elected to the White House.

 

 Added to which,

"The US Senate has approved new sanctions against Russia, as punishment after it was found to have meddled in the 2016 presidential election. The legislation also restricts the White House from easing sanctions without congressional approval." ( Lauren Gambino and Julian Borger : The Guardian : Wednesday 14 June 2017) (my emphasis)

In the US Congress, however,

"As President Donald Trump's administration struggles with an escalating investigation over charges his campaign colluded with Russia during the 2016 campaign, bipartisan sanctions legislation slapping new restrictions on Russia's government remains stalled on Capitol Hill.

Finger-pointing going back and forth between the parties and congressional chambers is holding up a final vote, even after the Senate passed it overwhelmingly last month." (Jeremy Herb and Deirdre Walsh : CNN : July 12, 2017) (my emphasis)

Putin's current fuming at the mouth, as the revelations about his direct connection between Trump's lieutenants and himself continues to unravel, is best illustrated by the recent outburst of Sergei Lavrov (left), that dyed-in-the-wool Soviet foreign minister.

"The European Union and United States caused the Ukraine crisis, Vladimir Putin's foreign minister has claimed as he lashed out over Russia's alleged influence over foreign elections." 
...
Continuing to defend Russia, Mr Lavrov said Moscow was blameless when it came to the the annexation of Crimea.
(Simon Osborne and Monika Pallenberg : Express : July 14, 2017) (my emphasis)

This 'outburst' of Lavrov raises the critical question of just how far Putin is now willing to go in the face of his impending failure to reap the rewards he expected when he helped Donald Trump into the White House.

The continuous uptick in Putin's war with Ukraine should not go unnoticed.

That Republicans in the House of Congress are holding up a vote to increase sanctions against Putin for his meddling in the US presidential elections of 2016 is due, primarily, to the dilemma that they face.

•  If they support the Senate vote to increase sanctions against Putin, they will be admitting that Putin helped Trump gain the presidency.

• If they scupper the vote to increase sanctions against Putin, they will be supporting Putin's and Trump's argument that Putin did not orchestrate the Russian collussion with Trump's lieutenants during the 2016 US presidential elections.

In other words, Congressional Republicans are being faced with the question,

"To impeach or not to impeach ..."

 (to be continued)