A bipartisan group of US senators reached an agreement with the Trump administration on Friday, July 10, to advance long-delayed legislation aimed at imposing tougher economic penalties on Russia and nations supporting Moscow's war economy.
The legislative breakthrough occurred as Republican Senator Lindsey Graham visited Kyiv for talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The updated bill targets loopholes allowing Russia to evade Western sanctions by selling energy through third countries.
"We've reached an agreement with the White House on a version of the Russian sanctions bill that they will support.
It means it's going to become law," said Graham, a Republican Senator from South Carolina, to reporters in Kyiv.
The legislation, known as the Sanctioning Russia Act, has been under negotiation for months by Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, along with Democrat Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Republican Roger Wicker of Mississippi.
"As Russia intensifies its slaughter of civilians, it is imperative that the legislative and executive branches work together to create tools to exact a heavy price on those who buy Russian oil and natural gas, fueling the Putin war machine," said the four senators in a joint statement.
The revised bill focuses specifically on five countries that circumvent sanctions by purchasing discounted Russian energy for resale.
The original 2025 version included a proposed 500 percent tariff on countries purchasing Russian-origin petroleum and uranium.
"This bill has 85 co-sponsors," said Graham regarding the bipartisan Senate support.
He noted that he and Senators Blumenthal and Shaheen worked closely to ensure the language was acceptable to the executive branch.
"I've never been more optimistic than I am today," said Graham.
He added that the strategy involves making Ukraine more lethal while establishing consequences for nations supporting Russia.
"We have the formula to end this war. Help Ukraine be more lethal.
Let those supporting Russia know it's going to be a price to be paid if you keep doing it.
And try to find an off-ramp, not to humiliate Putin, but to end this war so that Ukraine will thrive and survive," said Graham.
The agreement follows a recent meeting between President Donald Trump and Zelenskyy at the NATO summit in Ankara, marking a shift from their tense February 2025 Oval Office meeting.
"We've actually developed a good relationship," said Trump during the Ankara meeting.
He noted the contrast from their previous discussions, stating the relationship had improved dramatically.
"It's hard to believe, right? From the Oval Office to now, I think we've developed a very good relationship," said Trump.
Senior US officials stated on July 10 that Trump supports the updated sanctions legislation, which Senate Majority Leader John Thune had previously delayed.
Ukrainian officials welcomed the congressional progress, citing the critical nature of restricting Moscow's energy revenues.
"Russia has earned roughly $58 billion from oil and petroleum product exports to China and India in the first half of this year alone," said Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Zelenskyy's commissioner for sanctions policy, to RFE/RL on July 10.
