The White House has approved the latest draft of a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut told CBS News. Sources said the administration will back a measure that places heavy financial penalties on buyers of Russian oil, as pressure builds to end Russia’s four-year war on Ukraine.
The bill would let the US impose high tariffs on countries that keep buying Russian oil and natural gas. How soon any tariffs would take effect once the legislation is signed is not clear. White House spokespeople did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A Ukrainian official said Graham told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday that the bill has White House support. Zelenskyy, who met Graham in Kyiv, wrote on X that “Lindsey briefed me on the work underway in Congress on the relevant bill.” One of the sources said Zelenskyy has been told the president approved the tariff plan.
The senators’ case
Both senators argued that Ukraine is turning the tide on the battlefield and that Russian President Vladimir Putin needs to be brought to the table. Graham indicated that Putin’s constant attacks weigh on Trump’s thinking, and that the president has found Ukraine’s recent battlefield success persuasive.
Blumenthal has no vote count yet but expects Democratic support. He pointed to timing: oil prices have dropped since the war with Iran cooled off, which makes the decision easier to swallow.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota had told the senators he would move the bill once they have the votes. The Senate returns to Washington on Monday.
Blumenthal, Graham, Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi welcomed the agreement and said they expect to roll out the legislation “very soon.” In a joint statement they said: “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.”
Drones and a license
Blumenthal said sanctions were not Ukraine’s only win this week. In his telling, Zelenskyy handled his meetings with Trump at the NATO summit skillfully. He came away with a long-sought license to produce, and Trump agreed to purchases of Ukrainian drones for US use. Zelenskyy had pressed Trump for the licenses during an appearance on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” in May.
