"For all intents and purposes between his shares, the independent shares that the Russian state-owned bank control and various other individual shareholders, I still think he retains operational control," Rubio told reporters ahead of the initial vote. "So they’re going to have to do better.”

"I'd like to make a direct appeal to my Republican friends who are wondering about this. … Do you believe America should take a tough line on Putin or do you think we should go easy on Putin and his cronies? From where I'm standing that's an easy choice," Schumer said.

The vote in the Senate means that the Trump administration will be able to lift the Russia sanctions.

Kennedy added afterward that he voted to advance the resolution "because the principal involved is a gangster."