Washington: Ukraine's top sanctions official expresses optimism about advancing a substantial Russia sanctions bill in the US Congress, despite uncertainty over the House of Representatives' consideration, as lawmakers face a shortened legislative calendar ahead of the midterm elections in November.
According to Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's sanctions commissioner, visited Washington to meet with lawmakers and congressional staff, urging Congress to progress the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The legislation, which the Senate passed on August 7 with a decisive 86-11 vote, would grant the president additional authority to impose tariffs on countries continuing to purchase Russian fossil fuels. It also targets Iran due to its military-industrial cooperation with Moscow. However, the bill faces challenges in the House, where some Democrats have expressed concerns about granting President Donald Trump more tariff-imposing powers.
Republican leaders announced the cancellation of the final two weeks of the pre-election House session on September 3, significantly reducing the legislative calendar for September. House members are expected to leave Washington by September 17, with a return scheduled for mid-November, reconvening for an additional week of business after the Labor Day break. This compressed schedule has heightened pressure on the bill's supporters. Senior Republican aides informed RFE/RL that the sanctions legislation remains a GOP priority, contingent on Democrats aligning their positions.
Democratic aides, responding to RFE/RL inquiries, expressed cautious optimism about the bill's prospects, highlighting uncertainty regarding Speaker Mike Johnson's decision to bring it to the floor. Vlasiuk reported holding approximately 20 meetings with lawmakers and congressional staff during his Washington visit, encountering broad support for increasing pressure on Russia. He noted that no lawmaker explicitly opposed the legislation, stating, "Everyone agreed that it was necessary to increase pressure on Russia." Vlasiuk conveyed Ukraine's optimism about the support for the legislation, including among Democrats.
One potential pathway for the bill's consideration is under suspension of the rules, a fast-track procedure typically used for broadly supported legislation. Vlasiuk identified this as one of the realistic scenarios for advancing the bill, emphasizing a good chance of it reaching the floor. He highlighted the week after next as Kyiv's preferred window for a House vote, given the compressed House calendar, which could be one of the last opportunities for a vote before lawmakers leave Washington.
Asked about the bill's momentum, Vlasiuk cited ongoing bipartisan backing for Ukraine, emphasizing the urgency of passing the bill. "There is a lot of support for Ukraine on the Hill," he said, adding that Kyiv has been vocal about the bill's urgency. "At the same time, well, I mean, let's wait and see," Vlasiuk added.
However, the principal obstacle is not broad disagreement over confronting Russia, according to Thomas Melia, a former senior State Department official and Senate Foreign Relations Committee deputy staff director, currently with the Free Russia Foundation. In an interview with RFE/RL, Melia explained that Democratic leaders have hesitated due to several reasons. One is that the legislation is not strictly necessary for the administration to impose sanctions, as Trump already holds significant authority to sanction Russian individuals and entities.
The bill's principal value, according to Melia, is partly political and symbolic, reflecting congressional resolve to increase pressure on Moscow. Melia noted that the House Democratic leadership was not sufficiently involved in negotiating the Senate's final version. This concern is particularly relevant to Representative Gregory Meeks of New York, the senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, who supports tougher pressure on Russia but has raised concerns about the legislation's provisions.
Additionally, the legislation grants the president additional tariff authority, creating hesitation among Democrats wary of giving Trump another instrument for broad use against US trading partners. Melia emphasized another change from the bill's earlier form: the final version makes the sanctions optional rather than mandatory, reducing its political force, which initially stemmed from mandatory provisions and overwhelming bipartisan Senate support.
After Senator Lindsey Graham's death, the administration backed a version of the legislation, seeking changes that made sanctions nonmandatory and added tariff authority, resulting in a weaker measure than the original. However, Melia asserted that the final version retains significant political significance due to the broad bipartisan support that surrounded the tougher proposal.
Vlasiuk defended the tariff provisions, arguing they could enhance sanctions' effectiveness. "This is a powerful instrument which will allow to amplify the effect of the sanctions," he said, noting that while sanctions can be adapted and evaded, tariffs cannot. He pointed to China and India as central to Russia's ability to sell its energy exports, suggesting the pressure could significantly impact Russia's war financing against Ukraine. Ukraine also supports the inclusion of Iran in the bill, citing Tehran's close military cooperation with Moscow. "Everyone understands how close cooperation is between the military-industrial complex of these countries," Vlasiuk said. "Therefore, Iran is very well-deserved."
The political stakes are heightened by the House's decision to cancel its final pre-election legislative work weeks. The chamber is expected to depart Washington by September 17, with Republican leaders indicating potential recall if the Senate advances a party-line budget reconciliation package, although that scenario is not expected. Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska, a Republican supporting the sanctions effort, described the lack of congressional action as a serious failure. "This is a real shame. It passed 86-11 in the Senate," Bacon said, criticizing congressional inaction on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Putin's crimes as a significant failure. For Kyiv, the urgency extends beyond legislation.
Vlasiuk warned of another challenging winter for Ukraine following months of Russian missile and drone attacks, resulting in 160 deaths. He emphasized the need to increase pressure on Russia to force negotiations, asserting that passing the sanctions bill now could increase economic pressure on Russia while sending immediate political signals to both Ukraine and the Russian government. "But at the same time, the very fact of passing this sanction bill," Vlasiuk said, would send a "strong signal of support to Ukrainian people" and a "really strong signal to Russian government."