OPINION: Honoring Senator Lindsey Graham – Helping Ukraine, Punishing Russia

Today, after President Zelensky arrives in Washington, DC, he will not only meet with President Trump and a bipartisan Congressional delegation to discuss the war, but also witness the US Senate take its first procedural vote to pass tough new Russian sanctions as a tribute to the late Senator and good friend of Ukraine Lindsey Graham of South Carolina.

The US Congress is poised to honor the late senator for his strong support of American global leadership, international alliances, and a free Ukraine in Europe. It finally is ready to pass his newly revised Russian sanctions legislation.

Just before he died, Graham announced from Kyiv that President Trump endorsed his latest bill. Two days after Graham’s tragic and untimely death, an unidentified White House official confirmed that the president supported Graham’s legislation.

Senator Graham’s original bipartisan legislation, which he introduced last year with Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, attracted 84 cosponsors, but was never considered by the Senate. Newly appointed Senator Darline Graham, Graham’s sister who replaced him, has reintroduced the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act as a tribute to her brother.

Blumenthal is the lead Democratic cosponsor again. This bill already has more than 60 bipartisan cosponsors including Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, which signals it will easily pass the Senate. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Emeritus Mike McCaul of Texas, who also just returned from Kyiv, has stated that he will introduce the House companion legislation.

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It appears that Budapest wasn’t the only one using vetoes to drag out processes to secure its own interests.

The latest iteration has been enhanced and expanded to target Russia’s shadow fleet, foreign ports, insurers, liquid natural gas and coal, and a blanket investment ban in Russia. It also would impose new sanctions on those responsible for Russia’s heinous abduction of innocent Ukrainian children.

The contentious tariffs in the original bill have been modified to apply to only the top five countries importing the most Russian energy or the top five facilitating Russian energy sanctions evasion. These tariffs remain controversial, however, with leading Democrats concerned about how this new tariff authority could potentially be misused by Trump against European nations.

To further placate another Trump demand to pass the needed legislation to help Ukraine, the Senate will also pass additional, noncontroversial sanctions on Iran. Russia is a belligerent on the side of Iran in the ongoing Middle East war.

It is a positive sign that the Senate is embracing additional Russian sanctions to honor their colleague. This long overdue step will break the ice dam created by the Trump Administration’s obscured opposition to Congress voting on any pro-Ukraine, anti-Russia legislation.

Once the Senate passes the new Graham legislation, the bill then goes to the House of Representatives, where further amendments can be made in order when it returns from its recess. Several bills should be considered as additions to materially aid Ukraine and simultaneously punish Russia at no cost to US taxpayers. Doing so would also be consistent with negotiating for future peace in Ukraine from a greatly enhanced position of US strength over Russia.

As just one example, over one year ago the House Financial Services Committee under the leadership of Chairman French Hill of Arkansas passed the Preventing the Escalation of Armed Conflict in Europe Act of 2025 (PEACE Act) by an overwhelming 53-1 vote. Sponsored by Representatives Zach Nunn of Iowa and Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, this bipartisan legislation does three things to help Ukraine.

First, the bill imposes tough new sanctions on foreign banks. It requires the Secretary of the Treasury to issue regulations to prohibit or restrict US financial access for foreign banks that provide significant services to sanctioned Russian entities or individuals including those in Russia’s energy sector. Violations can result in steep civil fines or even criminal penalties.

Second, it mandates the Treasury Secretary seize already frozen Russian sovereign assets in US jurisdiction since 2022 for accelerated transfer to Ukraine. In 2024, the Treasury Department reported to Congress that an estimated $5 billion in Russian central bank reserves are at the Federal Reserve. The total of all additional frozen funds sitting in American correspondent banks, however, was classified by Treasury without explanation.

While the total amount still remains a public mystery, credible expert estimates of the total amount of Russian funds in the United States range from $19 billion to over $50 billion of an estimated $300 billion immobilized globally. Just think about how much that money could help Ukraine if it could buy US-made Patriot missile defense systems to better protect its citizens and defend its sovereign territory.

Third, the bill in fact authorizes Ukraine to use these frozen Russian funds to purchase defense articles. Legislation sponsored by Congressman Joe Wilson of South Carolina, Co-Chair of the US Helsinki Committee, would authorize both defense articles and services if included.

The powerful 53-1 committee vote is indicative of a veto-proof House vote on this potential amendment to a Senate-passed Graham bill. Senator Graham’s original bill also has a veto-proof majority of cosponsors.

Congress can now honor the late Senator Graham for his tireless support for Ukraine. Legislation that imposes more stringent Russian sanctions and also seizes immobilized Russian assets in exchange for allowing Ukraine to buy weapons it desperately needs is a fitting memorial to Graham’s public service and unswerving support for Ukraine.

This tribute legislation would greatly help Ukraine and strike a decisive financial blow to Russia’s imperialism and hybrid warfare in Europe. It also would be an important signal to our allies and warning to our adversaries.