Key facts
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will meet with all 100 U.S. senators on Tuesday evening.
- The Senate is expected to vote on a bill to impose sanctions on Russia.
- The legislation aims to cut revenues from Russia's energy sales used for its war in Ukraine.
- A previous version of the bill proposed a 500% tariff, which was eased to 100% to secure support.
- Concerns have been raised in Congress regarding potential new powers for Trump stemming from the bill.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is scheduled to meet with all 100 members of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday evening in Washington. The meeting coincides with Zelenskiy's visit for the funeral of the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
During Zelenskiy's visit, the Senate is also expected to begin voting on a bill championed by Graham that aims to impose sanctions on Russia. The legislation, which has been pending for approximately a year, seeks to cut revenues Russia derives from energy sales that fund its ongoing war in Ukraine.
Lawmakers have reportedly eased the tariff level in the bill from a proposed 500% to 100% to secure broader support. However, the bill has also sparked concerns within Congress regarding potential new executive powers for President Donald Trump.
A bipartisan group of senators announced on July 10 that they had reached an agreement with the Trump administration to advance the long-delayed legislation. This bill is designed to impose tougher economic penalties on Russia and countries that continue to support its war economy. Graham stated that the agreement with the White House would allow the bill to move forward, enabling the U.S. to penalize countries aiding Russia in evading Western sanctions and creating leverage for negotiations.
The legislation, referred to as the Sanctioning Russia Act, has been under negotiation for months involving Senators Graham, Richard Blumenthal, Jeanne Shaheen, and Roger Wicker. The senators indicated they would soon release the updated legislation, describing the agreement as a significant step towards increasing pressure on Moscow. They emphasized the imperative for legislative and executive branches to collaborate on tools that exact a heavy price from those purchasing Russian oil and natural gas, thereby fueling Russia's military campaign.
The core of the bill addresses Russia's ability to generate billions from energy exports through third countries, a perceived major weakness in existing sanctions. While many Western nations have restricted direct purchases of Russian commodities, Moscow has rerouted exports via intermediaries, particularly to buyers in Asia. The revised legislation specifically targets countries that buy discounted Russian energy for resale, helping Moscow maintain revenue streams for its military operations. Graham noted that the bill has attracted 85 co-sponsors and was written to be acceptable to the administration.