Key facts
- Ukraine's top sanctions official, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, is optimistic about the US House fast-tracking a Russia sanctions bill.
- The bill, which passed the Senate 86-11, would give the president additional authority to impose punitive tariffs on countries buying Russian fossil fuels and target Iran.
- Some House Democrats are wary of granting President Donald Trump additional tariff authority.
- The House of Representatives has canceled its final two weeks of pre-election legislative work, reducing the time available for votes.
- Vlasiuk defended the tariff provisions as a powerful instrument to amplify sanctions and prevent evasion, particularly targeting China and India.
- Ukraine also supports the bill's provisions targeting Iran due to its military-industrial cooperation with Russia.
Ukraine's top sanctions official expressed optimism regarding the potential for the U.S. House of Representatives to fast-track a significant Russia sanctions bill, despite facing a compressed legislative calendar and some Democratic reservations.
Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s sanctions commissioner, spent time in Washington meeting with lawmakers and congressional staff to advocate for the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The bill, which passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support (86-11), aims to provide the president with additional authority to impose punitive tariffs on countries continuing to purchase Russian fossil fuels and includes provisions targeting Iran due to its cooperation with Moscow.
However, the legislation faces a more challenging path in the House, where some Democrats have voiced concerns about provisions that would grant President Donald Trump expanded authority to impose tariffs. These concerns are compounded by the House Republican leadership's decision to cancel the final two weeks of its pre-election session, leaving a narrow window for potential votes before mid-November.
Vlasiuk stated that his delegation encountered broad support for increasing pressure on Russia during approximately 20 meetings with lawmakers from both parties, noting that no one explicitly opposed the legislation. He suggested that a fast-track procedure, such as considering the bill under suspension of the rules, is a realistic scenario for its advancement.
Concerns among Democrats, as explained by former State Department official Thomas Melia, stem partly from the fact that the administration already possesses significant sanctioning powers. Additionally, some Democrats are hesitant to grant Trump additional tariff authority, fearing it could be used broadly against U.S. trading partners. The final version of the bill also makes sanctions optional rather than mandatory, which Melia suggested weakens its political force compared to earlier proposals.
Vlasiuk defended the tariff provisions, arguing they are a powerful instrument that can amplify sanctions and cannot be circumvented, unlike sanctions themselves. He specifically pointed to China and India as central to Russia's energy export capabilities and emphasized that tariffs could deliver a significant blow to Russia's war financing. Ukraine also supports the inclusion of Iran, citing its close military cooperation with Moscow.