'Moment of extreme urgency' — US Senator urges Congress to pass Russia sanctions bill
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Democratic U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal urged his colleagues in the House of Representatives to approve long-awaited sweeping Russia sanctions legislation in an interview with CBS News on Aug. 30, as the House prepares to reconvene on Aug. 31.
"It is a moment of extreme urgency, for the reason that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin may try to escalate, but also because Putin is on his heels economically," Blumenthal, a staunch supporter of Ukraine, said.
The bill had been stalled in Congress since April 2025 amid U.S. President Donald Trump's evolving approach to Russia's war against Ukraine. The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly backed the legislation on Aug. 7, that, if passed through Congress, would impose tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil and gas.
It remains unclear if the measure has enough support in the House to pass.
Blumenthal, who made a visit to Kyiv last week for Ukraine's Independence Day celebrations, said he was "very hopeful" the measure would pass through the House, adding that during his visit to Kyiv he urged President Volodymyr Zelensky to meet with U.S. representatives, as he did with senators before the successful Senate vote.
"I'm very hopeful that he will because he's Ukraine's strongest advocate," Blumenthal said referring to Zelensky.
The revised bill emerged from negotiations between the White House and the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who said shortly before his death on July 11 that he had secured the Trump administration's support for the proposal.
Lawmakers argue the measure would provide the Trump administration with another tool to pressure Moscow to end its war against Ukraine.
Unlike the original version, which proposed a blanket 500% tariff on imports from countries purchasing Russian oil or natural gas, the revised legislation would impose tariffs of up to 100% on the world's five largest buyers of Russian energy.
One U.S. official previously told the Kyiv Independent that Trump supports the legislation as a way to honor Graham, one of his closest allies in the Senate.
