Senators are escalating requires a extreme Russia sanctions invoice to advance, with Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham claiming — after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — that the chamber will transfer forward with laws this week that might impose strict tariffs on Moscow.
Graham took a visit to Kyiv over the weekend with Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who cosponsored the Senate sanctions measure that might slap 500% tariffs on any nation that buys Moscow’s power merchandise.
“I might anticipate subsequent week that the Senate will begin transferring the sanctions invoice,” Graham mentioned throughout a press convention in Ukraine on Friday. “There are Home members which might be prepared to maneuver within the Home and you will note congressional motion.”
President Donald Trump has but to endorse the sanctions invoice. ABC Information’ Chief World Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz requested Zelenskyy if he had been happy with the administration’s involvement within the battle, and the Ukrainian chief referred to as on Trump’s help for the sanctions and a ceasefire.
“We’re searching for very for robust steps on the a part of President Trump to help the sanctions and to drive President Putin to cease this warfare, or a minimum of proceed with the primary stage of placing an finish to this warfare — that’s the ceasefire,” Zelenskyy mentioned.
Graham and Blumenthal’s go to got here simply earlier than Ukrainian officers on Sunday claimed that their nation’s drones struck and damaged greater than 40 warplanes in assaults on 4 army airports inside Russia.
Graham, a Putin critic, applauded Ukraine’s drone warfare techniques and urged motion towards Russia in a post on X following the studies.
“Russia indiscriminately kills males, girls and kids. It is time for the world to behave decisively towards Russia’s aggression by holding China and others accountable for getting low-cost Russian oil that props up Putin’s warfare machine,” Graham wrote.
Sen. Lindsey Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal communicate throughout a press convention in Kyiv, Ukraine, Might 30, 2025.
Vasilisa Stepanenko/AP
Blumenthal additionally responded on X, urging a crackdown on Russia by the sanctions.
“After I visited President Zelenskyy & his group only some days in the past with @LindseyGrahamSC these extraordinary qualities of braveness & functionality had been clearly evident. Russians have unfold misinformation that they are successful. Time to cross our sanctions invoice.”
Graham wrote a letter last week in the Wall Street Journal, saying the Senate was “ready” to position proposed sanctions on Russia relying on how the nation responded to Trump’s latest request for Putin to “present a time period sheet outlining the necessities” for a ceasefire.
Ukrainian’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Senator Lindsey Graham shaking palms throughout their assembly in Kyiv, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine, Might 30, 2025.
Ukrainian Presidential Press Service by way of AFP/Getty Pictures
“Relying on how Russia responds, we’ll know which course to take,” Graham wrote within the letter.
Graham mentioned he has coordinated with the White Home on the Russia sanctions invoice — the “Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025” — which has round 80 co-sponsors and bipartisan help.
“The invoice would put Russia on a commerce island,” Graham mentioned. “The implications of its barbaric invasion have to be made actual to those who prop it up. If China or India stopped shopping for low-cost oil, Mr. Putin’s warfare machine would grind to a halt.”
Graham additionally highlighted latest feedback from Majority Chief John Thune that additionally recommend the higher chamber would act towards Russia if “Putin continues to play video games.”
“As Thune mentioned final week, if Mr. Putin continues to play video games, the Senate will act. I am hoping for one of the best, however with regards to the thug in Moscow, we should always all put together for extra of the identical,” Graham wrote.
Thune, talking to reporters on the Capitol on Monday, mentioned that there is a “excessive stage” of curiosity within the invoice, and that the Senate may be capable of work on it earlier than the top of the month.
“We’re in conversations with the White Home, clearly, about that topic and that subject … there is a excessive stage of curiosity right here within the Senate, on each side of the aisle and transferring on it, and it’s totally nicely may very well be one thing that we might take up on this work interval,” Thune mentioned. “Clearly we’re working with the White Home to try to make sure that what we do and after we do it really works nicely with the negotiations that they have underway.”
Different Republican senators, too, are occurring offense with regards to sanctions on Moscow.
Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley referred to as for sanctions in a post on X last week — advocating that they’re robust sufficient so Putin is aware of it “recreation over.”
In Might, Senate Majority Whip John Barasso spoke on the Senate floor, calling for an finish to Russia’s warfare in Ukraine and threatening Russia with sanctions by the Senate invoice.
“Russia faces a stark selection: peace or crippling sanctions. President Trump has spoken forcefully of swift, extreme penalties if Russia fails to honor a ceasefire. A bipartisan group of senators agrees,” Barasso mentioned.
“Power is the money cow of Putin’s warfare machine. Reduce it off, and Russia can’t proceed to struggle. Russia’s greatest buyer is Communist China. The following is India. They are going to be hit laborious,” Barasso continued.
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman referred to as for sanctions on Russia throughout a dialogue in Boston on Monday with Republican Sen. Dave McCormick.
“Russia continues to kill harmless civilians in Ukraine and so right here we’re — and we’ve got to sanction them and maintain Russia accountable,” Fetterman mentioned.
McCormick mentioned he’d again the sanctions package deal as a result of it continues to stress Putin to have interaction in negotiations about ending the battle.
“The one solution to maintain the stress on is for issues to occur like what occurred at present with Ukraine having a really profitable army functionality and operation, however along with that, the sorts of sanctions which might be proposed on this laws, and that’s meant to assist President Trump ship on the imaginative and prescient and the deal he is talked about,” McCormick mentioned.
