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US House to Take Up Graham's Russia Sanctions Bill Next Week
Confirmed
In Short: Ukraine's sanctions official remains optimistic about the prospects of a sweeping Russia sanctions bill in the US Congress despite growing uncertainty over when it will be debated.
Ukraine's top sanctions official, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, spent this week in Washington meeting lawmakers and congressional staff as Kyiv presses Congress to advance the Lindsey O. Graham Russia sanctions bill. Vlasiuk expressed optimism about the bill's prospects, stating, 'There is a lot of support for Ukraine on, and Kyiv has been very vocal in stressing the urgency of passing the bill.
According to reports, the House of Representatives is expected to leave Washington no later than September 17 and not return until mid-November, with a compressed legislative calendar increasing pressure on supporters of the sanctions legislation. Vlasiuk noted, 'The House will reconvene for one additional week of business after next week’s Labor Day break, and the bill is expected to be brought onto the floor during this period.
However, the recent visit by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and their subsequent failure to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine's war with Russia has raised concerns. Witkoff's flattery of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia's immediate resumption of attacks on Kyiv after the visit have added to the tension.
Despite these challenges, Vlasiuk remains confident, stating, 'Everyone agreed that it was necessary to increase pressure on Russia.' He added, 'I think that there is really good chance that this bill will be brought onto the floor.' The bill would give the president additional authority to impose punitive tariffs on countries that continue buying Russian fossil fuels.
According to reports, the US House is set to take up the Graham bill next week, with the House of Representatives expected to reconvene for one additional week of business after the Labor Day break. Vlasiuk emphasized the urgency of the situation, saying, 'There is a lot of support for Ukraine on, and Kyiv has been very vocal in stressing the urgency of passing the bill.
Meanwhile, Russia has shown little sign of readiness for a deal, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov asserting, 'Russia intends to achieve the goals of the special military operation.' The recent economic rebound of Russia since the start of the US and Israel's war with Iran has further complicated the sanctions landscape, with Russia selling most of its crude oil to Asian markets, especially China and India, where buyers are able to negotiate prices well below those of Western grades.
What's confirmed
- Ukraine's top sanctions official, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, spent this week in Washington meeting lawmakers and congressional staff as Kyiv presses Congress to advance the Lindsey O. Graham Russia sanctions bill. Vlasiuk expressed optimism about the bill's prospects, stating, 'There is a lot of support for Ukraine on, and Kyiv has been very vocal in stressing the urgency of passing the bill.
- According to reports, the House of Representatives is expected to leave Washington no later than September 17 and not return until mid-November, with a compressed legislative calendar increasing pressure on supporters of the sanctions legislation. Vlasiuk noted, 'The House will reconvene for one additional week of business after next week’s Labor Day break, and the bill is expected to be brought onto the floor during this period.
- However, the recent visit by US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Moscow and their subsequent failure to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine's war with Russia has raised concerns. Witkoff's flattery of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia's immediate resumption of attacks on Kyiv after the visit have added to the tension.
- Despite these challenges, Vlasiuk remains confident, stating, 'Everyone agreed that it was necessary to increase pressure on Russia.' He added, 'I think that there is really good chance that this bill will be brought onto the floor.' The bill would give the president additional authority to impose punitive tariffs on countries that continue buying Russian fossil fuels.
- According to reports, the US House is set to take up the Graham bill next week, with the House of Representatives expected to reconvene for one additional week of business after the Labor Day break. Vlasiuk emphasized the urgency of the situation, saying, 'There is a lot of support for Ukraine on, and Kyiv has been very vocal in stressing the urgency of passing the bill.
- Meanwhile, Russia has shown little sign of readiness for a deal, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov asserting, 'Russia intends to achieve the goals of the special military operation.' The recent economic rebound of Russia since the start of the US and Israel's war with Iran has further complicated the sanctions landscape, with Russia selling most of its crude oil to Asian markets, especially China and India, where buyers are able to negotiate prices well below those of Western grades.
What's still developing
- United States envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have been seen as embarrassing and amateurish after their latest attempt to secure a ceasefire in Russia’s war in Ukraine, suggesting that European patience with the US administration of Donald Trump is running out.
- Ukraine’s military leadership said that since the beginning of the war, Russia has suffered 1.5m losses of personnel – both soldiers killed or incapacitated.
- But as soon as Witkoff and Kushner left, Russia showered drones and missiles on Kyiv killing at least four civilians on September 8 and 9.
- If sanctions were looking ineffective before, Russia’s economic rebound since the start of the United States’ and Israel’s war with Iran have only strengthened that perception.
- And they are discounting the enormous strain that sanctions could still place on the Russian system if properly enforced.
- He said the Ukrainian delegation encountered broad support for increasing pressure on Russia and that no lawmaker told him outright that they would oppose the legislation.
- Vlasiuk said that was among the realistic scenarios for moving the bill forward.