If Vladimir Putin is to be deterred from reinvading Ukraine, an immediate concern, Putin must believe that the costs of that action are intolerable.

This bears note as senators prepare to vote on a bill by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas to impose sanctions on companies that do business with Russian’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline. As part of a deal to release Cruz’s hold on Biden administration nominees, the sanctions bill will receive a floor vote before Jan. 14. If the sanctions are approved, they will face a vote in the House of Representatives.