- The Senate approved a strong Russian sanctions package with an 86-11 vote
- The legislation targets countries buying Russian oil and gas to cut war revenue
- Ukrainian President Zelensky met senators after Sen. Lindsey Graham's funeral
The Senate overwhelmingly approved a punishing Russian sanctions package Friday, the result of a year-long campaign by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham to reinforce US support for Ukraine and try to force President Vladimir Putin's hand as the grinding war drags on.
The bipartisan legislation, which passed the Senate 86-11, would penalise countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other exports seeking to deprive Putin of revenues fuelling the war. It comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the Capitol hours after Graham's funeral, met with senators from both parties and watched from the gallery as the Senate took the first procedural votes last week on the sweeping legislation.
"Today, President Zelensky is watching from Ukraine - and Putin is watching from Moscow," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who had worked with the late South Carolina senator on the package.
"I would like to think Lindsey Graham is watching, too," he said. "Today we say to the people of Ukraine: You are not alone. And today we say to Vladimir Putin: You will not conquer Ukraine."
The sweeping show of force from the Senate is the most substantial move yet during President Donald Trump's second term to shift the dynamic of the more than four-year war, which has now churned longer than World War I. Congress has struggled to ensure US funding and munitions flows to Ukraine, but Trump has given a nod to the sanctions package, putting pressure for the House to take it up for a vote and send it to the White House for his signature.
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