Senate takes first steps on Russian sanctions as Zelenskyy watches from
Senate gallery
[July 29, 2026]
By MARY CLARE JALONICK, KEVIN FREKING and LISA MASCARO
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate took the first steps toward passage of a
sweeping Russian sanctions bill on Tuesday with Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Capitol, moving forward on the legislation to
penalize countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other
exports after more than a year of negotiations.
The bipartisan 86-12 procedural vote came hours after a funeral for
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the bill’s chief
negotiator. Zelenskyy, who was in Washington to attend the service for
Graham, met with senators beforehand and told them Ukraine is making
gains in its war with Russia, but still needs more help from the U.S.
Zelenskyy then went to the Senate gallery to watch the vote, waving in
support at the senators down below.
At the meeting, Zelenskyy told senators that the sanctions legislation
"is important as a moral signal to a country that is weary and tired,
though holding its own and then some against Russia," Republican Sen.
Todd Young of Indiana said as he left the meeting.
In a post on X, Zelenskyy wrote, “We discussed many issues, first and
foremost, anti-ballistic defense.”
“It was an honor to be present as the votes were counted," he said,
adding, "This is the first step toward implementing Lindsey’s plans, and
certainly a step toward peace.”
Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., announced a deal with the
White House on the sanctions legislation on July 10, a day before his
sudden death, likely from an aortic tear. Graham had just returned from
a trip to Ukraine, where he met with Zelenskyy.
Blumenthal said Graham told him that the deal they had struck was a “big
effing deal” in the last conversation they had just before he died.
“It’s a significant part of his legacy,” Blumenthal said.
He said the bill has momentum partly because Ukraine is turning the tide
in the war, because the bill was carefully negotiated and “there's
feeling about Senator Graham.”
Zelenskyy's presence also helps, Blumenthal said, and “watching his face
when he was in the gallery as we were voting was truly a moment of joy.”
Zelenskyy visits the Capitol
In Zelenskyy's latest visit to the Capitol, his message was “positive,"
Young said, and he talked about how the Ukrainians are making good
progress against Russia in different areas of the war.
The bill is a “keystone in that overall effort” to handicap the Russian
economy and drive Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating
table, Young said.
Zelenskyy told them that “they are winning the war now," said Sen. Jim
Justice, R-W.Va.
“In the first year it was survival. The next three years was getting
your feet under you. But now they are winning,” Justice said.
Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said Zelenskyy told the senators that “Putin
would think a little bit more about trying to negotiate a settlement if
the sanctions were in place and actually creating more irritation.”
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Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives at the U.S. Capitol,
Tuesday, July 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)
The bill will “send Putin a bipartisan message in a language he
understands,” said New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat.
“This is our best opportunity to support Ukraine. We are defending
not just their country but the rest of Europe from an increasingly
aggressive Russia.”
Zelenskyy met with President Donald Trump earlier in the day, and
the two discussed ways that the U.S. could help in its war with
Russia.
A long-sought deal on Russian sanctions
Graham, Blumenthal and other supporters of Ukraine had been working
for more than a year to negotiate legislation that would win
approval from both the White House and a majority of senators.
The bill allows the president to impose tariffs on the world’s top
five purchasers of Russia oil or natural gas — with China and India
at the top of that list. It provides exceptions for countries that
import less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and are taking
steps to reduce those imports.
The legislation also includes sanctions on Putin, senior Russian
political and military leaders, Russian financial institutions and
Russian energy projects. It would expand U.S. sanctions to target
older, reflagged oil tankers that Russia uses to circumvent existing
U.S. sanctions on Russian oil and energy revenues.
The negotiated bill also includes waiver authority for the
president, allowing the White House to waive sanctions or
restrictions if the president certifies to Congress that the waiver
is in the national interest.
Negotiators also added an extension of certain sanctions on Iran
after Trump asked the Senate to add Iran to the bill.
Some Democrats are skeptical about tariff authority
While the president's authority was narrowed in the final
negotiations, the latest version still met with some skepticism from
Democrats who did not want to give Trump additional powers to impose
tariffs.
“It is extremely dangerous to give Trump massive new tariff powers,
particularly after we’ve seen the disastrous impacts of his corrupt,
chaotic, and inflationary tariff spree," said Sen. Ron Wyden,
D-Ore., in a statement with Rep. Richard Neal, D-Mass.
Wyden said he plans to offer an amendment to change some of the
tariff provisions in the bill as the Senate debates the measure this
week.
Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, a Democrat, said before the meeting he
was still undecided on his final vote because of the tariff issue.
He said he would listen to Zelenskyy's appeal and then make “a
game-time decision.”
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