Ukraine urges U.S. Congress to pass Russia and Iran sanctions

Ukraine is urging the U.S. Congress to advance the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 before the upcoming November elections. Vladyslav Vlasiuk, sanctions commissioner for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, met with lawmakers in Washington to advocate for the measure.

The legislation, which passed the Senate with an 86-11 bipartisan vote on August 7, would grant the U.S. president expanded authority to impose punitive tariffs on nations continuing to purchase Russian fossil fuels. The bill also targets Iran due to its military-industrial cooperation with Moscow.

However, the bill faces hurdles in the House of Representatives. Some Democrats have expressed concerns regarding provisions that would grant the president additional tariff-imposing powers. Furthermore, a compressed legislative calendar—following the cancellation of the final two weeks of the pre-election House session—has placed significant time pressure on supporters to secure a vote before members depart Washington in mid-September.