In a notable show of legislative momentum, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., announced that Congress will swiftly move forward on a bipartisan sanctions package aimed at Russia — following comments from President Donald Trump that he supports the measure.
The push signals a rare moment of bipartisan cooperation amid intensifying international concern over Russia's war in Ukraine.
"The legislation allows the President of the United States new and powerful tools to end the bloodbath in Ukraine," Graham posted on the social media platform X. "I am very pleased that with President Trump's blessing, Congress will be moving on the overwhelmingly bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that will provide President Trump with more tools to end the bloodbath in Ukraine.
"The legislation allows @POTUS to impose secondary sanctions..."
On Sunday in West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump told reporters that he had heard Congress was preparing to increase pressure on Russia — and that "that's OK with me."
He added that the legislation would likely impose sanctions "for doing business with Russia" and "may add Iran to that."
The proposed legislation — dubbed the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025 — is being co-sponsored by Graham along with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.
The bill currently boasts more than 80 co-sponsors in the Senate.
Key provisions include:
-Primary sanctions on Russia itself and Russian persons and entities if Moscow refuses to negotiate a good-faith peace deal with Ukraine or launches new aggression.
-Secondary sanctions/tertiary measures on third-party countries and entities that continue to trade in Russian oil, gas, uranium or other strategic commodities.
-Tariffs of up to 500% on imported goods from countries that buy Russian energy or other strategic exports — one stated goal is to isolate Russia economically, making it a "trade island."
-The legislation is structured to give the president flexibility: it authorizes him to impose tariffs and sanctions but allows for executive discretion in implementation. Graham's office called the combination of congressional authorization and presidential flexibility "rock solid legally and politically."
In his X post, Graham wrote that with the president's backing, "Congress will be moving ... incredibly quickly" and that the bill "has 85 co-sponsors in the Senate ... it would pass incredibly quickly."
Graham and his colleagues say the timing is critical.
With the war in Ukraine entering its fourth year and Russia's energy exports continuing to fund its war machine, the legislation is intended to raise the cost of Russia's aggression and bring pressure on third-party investors and consumers — such as China and India — that continue buying Russian oil.
In a press conference in Kyiv, Graham said: "The consequences of its barbaric invasion must be made real to those that prop it up."
Trump's saying that he is "OK" with the bill is seen as a green light for congressional action. While his earlier statements suggested more conditional support (saying sanctions depend on whether Russia is "behaving"), the Sunday comments mark what many interpret as a shift toward active backing.
While Washington prepares its legislative response, Ukraine continues to suffer intense bombardment from Russian forces.
According to recent data, Russia's bombing campaign has reached record levels of civilian casualties.
In June 2025 alone, the U.N. Human Rights Monitoring Mission recorded at least 232 civilians killed and 1,343 wounded — the highest monthly toll in over three years.
A recent U.N. report concluded that Russian forces have "deliberately targeted Ukrainian civilians in a drone strike campaign that aims to depopulate large parts of the country," a tactic that constitutes crimes against humanity, according to the study.
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