Ukraine seeks tougher U.S. sanctions as Kremlin eyes peace efforts

Ukraine is calling on the United States to advance new legislation aimed at intensifying economic sanctions against Russia. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that current international pressure is insufficient to force Moscow to change its stance regarding the ongoing war, noting an escalation in Russian attacks against civilian populations.

The proposed legislation, known as the ‘Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026’, has already passed the U.S. Senate with 86 votes in favor. The bill seeks to target Russian officials and individuals linked to the government, while also proposing trade measures against countries heavily dependent on Russian energy. This includes granting the U.S. President authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on products from certain major energy purchasers.

In a separate development, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov expressed hope that recent intensified peace efforts by the United States will yield results. Peskov noted that Moscow perceives interest from the business sector in reactivating economic and commercial cooperation between Russia and the United States, though he acknowledged that such collaboration is currently non-existent.