Ukraine supporters in Congress are urging swift passage of a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill authored by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. Graham announced a breakthrough on the legislation shortly before his unexpected death late Saturday night, stating that lawmakers had reached a deal with the White House.

The bill, known as the "Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026," seeks to impose sanctions on top Russian figures and heavy tariffs on the largest buyers of Russian oil. Its goal is to pressure Russian leaders to end the Kremlin's four-year war on Ukraine.

According to a Senate aide, the text of the bill had been finalized before Graham met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week in Kyiv. The White House has signaled its support for the bill, as reported by CBS News.

On Tuesday, 26 cosponsors supported the bill, with that number expected to grow. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut remarked that passing the legislation would be a fitting tribute to Senator Graham's fierce support for Ukraine's freedom. He noted that Putin's war against Ukraine has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives and must end. Graham believed that getting this legislation passed and signed into law would be the most consequential achievement of his career.

Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas announced plans to introduce a House version of the Russia sanctions legislation this week, urging Congress to act promptly.

Sources