The leadership of the United States Congress is working to introduce a bill recognizing Russia as an aggressor state as soon as possible, amid a planned visit by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky to Washington on Wednesday, The Hill reported.

Such a measure would allow the U.S. president to impose new sanctions against Russia. However, the Republican Party believes that such a bill is an incomplete response to Zelenskiy's demand to recognize Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.

A congressional aide told the publication that the Biden administration has come up with an alternative status that doesn't even exist in U.S. national or international law.

It's an ill-conceived PR measure that won't punish Russia or help the Ukrainian people, the congressional aide added.

The bill states that the U.S. president, once passed, would be able to declare Russia an aggressor state and would have the right to designate any foreign state as an aggressor state if he determines its involvement in acts of aggression against Ukraine.