'Hellish sanctions' against Russia - What Ukrainian parliamentary speaker discussed with US senators

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"Today in Washington, we discussed effective tools that can change the course of the war. These are ‘hellish sanctions’ against Russia - sanctions that will force it toward peace," the parliamentary speaker wrote.

According to him, the talks included detailed discussions on the substance of the sanctions, ways to implement them, and timelines. The dialogue involved US Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham and Senator Richard Blumenthal. The Ukrainian side was represented by Stefanchuk, Ambassador Olha Stefanishyna, and Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Iryna Mudra.

The parliamentary speaker also briefed the senators on Russia’s latest attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, calling them deliberate terror against civilians.

"We discussed the need to further strengthen Ukraine’s air defense as a key element in protecting people and critical infrastructure. I thanked Senator Graham for advancing the initiative to transfer Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine and invited the senators to visit Ukraine again," he added.

In conclusion, Stefanchuk said support for Ukraine in the US Congress remains bipartisan, which is what makes it resilient.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would consider tightening sanctions against Russia, noting that the decision would depend on the progress of peace talks.

In November, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States had largely exhausted options for new sanctions against Russia, emphasizing that Washington is now focused on enforcement.

He added, however, that US and European partners still retain some potential for further action.