Senate will move forward with Russia sanctions bill, Sen. Lindsey Graham says

WASHINGTON — The Senate will “start moving” on a bill imposing more sanctions on the Kremlin following talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv, Sen.Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said.“I would expect next week that the Senate will start moving the sanctions bill,” Graham, an ally of President Trump but also a firm backer of Ukraine’s war efforts, said Friday, according to The Kyiv Independent.“There are House members that are ready to move in the House, and you’ll see congressional action,” he added.

“President Trump said that the next two-week period will be outcome-determined.”The bipartisan meeting with Ukraine’s leader included Sen.Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who like Graham supports the legislation applying a 500% tariff on Russian oil, gas, uranium and other products.Neither sits on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee where the bill, which has racked up at least 80 co-sponsors, is currently under consideration.At least 82 senators are prepared to vote for it if it heads to the Senate floor, Graham told the outlet.“I’ve never been more optimistic than I am today,” he added, when asked whether Trump would sign it.“Russia faces a stark choice: peace or crippling sanctions,” Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said in a Senate floor speech on May 20.“President Trump has spoken forcefully of swift, severe consequences if Russia fails to honor a ceasefire.”On June 2, delegations from Russia and Ukraine had been expected to meet for talks in Istanbul — but Graham said he doesn’t have “any hope at all that Russia is interested in peace” given drone strikes in Ukraine that killed more than a dozen civilians on May 25.It was the largest aerial bombardment in the war to date, with 355 drones and nine cruise missiles being unleashed.Trump — who promised to end the war “on day one” of his second presidential term — slammed Putin as “absolutely crazy” following the strikes, b...