World
Senate Advances Russia Sanctions Package After Year-Long Push
How much room does the White House still have to waive it?
How much room does the White House still have to waive it?
The push for tougher Russia sanctions reflects a broader effort to squeeze the ’s by cutting off energy revenue and raising the cost for countries that keep buying Russian oil and gas. The bill’s significance lies in its mix of , and , which makes it both a pressure tool on Moscow and a test of how far and the are willing to go to shape the war in Ukraine.
The Senate passed the Russia sanctions package 86-11, sending it to the next. The bill aims to squeeze Russia’s energy revenues by targeting countries that keep buying Russian oil and gas, especially China and India, while leaving the room to use if it certifies a national interest need.
Lawmakers voted to advance the sanctions package, moving it closer to final passage after more than a year of negotiations. The bill’s design included , on top buyers of Russian energy, and that still leaves the president discretion to suspend measures in the .
The Senate held its first major on the , with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the as the vote unfolded. The 86-12 result showed the bill had enough support to keep moving and highlighted the link between the legislation and Ukraine’s .
leaders announced a that paired Russia measures with an extension of . The addition of Iran provisions was meant to help secure enough support for and broadened the package’s .
Senators unveiled a revised bill that targeted and added new pressure on buyers of Russian oil and gas. Reporting said the package could hit major importers such as China and India with , while also including sanctions on Russian officials, banks, energy firms, and .
Graham and Blumenthal announced they had reached an agreement with the Trump administration on . The compromise helped revive a bill that had been for more than a year and set up action in the Senate.
After a meeting with President Trump, Graham said the had effectively the bipartisan Russia sanctions bill. That shift mattered because it suggested the long-stalled measure might finally get after months of uncertainty.
Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal said their sanctions bill had reached 81 , showing that the proposal had built a broad in the Senate. The coalition reflected pressure from lawmakers who wanted a tougher response to and its dependence on .
Sen. Lindsey Graham introduced , the , and the Senate before referring it to the . The filing created the main for the later sanctions push against Moscow.