‘Expect Movement on Sanctions Bill Next Week’ - Senator Graham

US Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv Friday to discuss increasing sanctions on Russia, expanding American business cooperation, and bringing back abducted Ukrainian children.

Zelensky thanked the senators for their support and the support of the American people, and the lawmakers visited the site of an April 24 missile strike in Kyiv that killed 13 people. 

The Ukrainian president urged the US senators to strengthen sanctions on the energy and banking sector, to work towards a $30 price cap on Russian oil, and to introduce secondary sanctions against companies that evade existing sanctions, according to a statement by the Office of the President in Kyiv.

“Expect next week that the Senate will start moving the sanctions bill. There are House members that are ready to move in the House, and you’ll see congressional action,” Graham told reporters at a press conference in the capital’s Mikhialivska Square, as reported by United 24.  

Graham expressed skepticism about the prospects for upcoming peace talks in Istanbul and impatience with Putin. “The game that Putin’s been playing is about to change. He’s going to be hit and hit hard by the United States when it comes to sanctions,” he said.

The senators are the co-sponsors of a bill that currently has 81 supporters in the Senate to increase further sanctions on Russia and to introduce secondary sanctions in the form of import tariffs on countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas, or uranium. 

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The largest consumers of Russian energy products are India, China, and Turkey, and some of this fuel ends up in Europe, which reportedly paid Russia €20 billion ($22.7 million) last year for energy.

Graham says his bill will threaten countries that have become reliant on cheap Russian energy. “If you keep buying cheap Russian oil to fuel Putin’s war machine, there will be a 500% tariff on all of your products coming into the United States,” he warned.

This could be particularly critical as Russia has developed a vast network of sanction-busting mechanisms, including a fleet of shadow tankers. 

US President Donald Trump has been wary of imposing further sanctions on Russian leader Vladimir Putin, but has grown increasingly critical of the Kremlin’s empty promises to end the war in Ukraine as peace negotiations have been drawn out.

But when asked by reporters about when he is prepared to implement further sanctions on Russia, Trump has consistently requested more time before making a decision.