US Senate reaches deal on Graham's 'bone-crushing' Russia sanctions bill
Photo: US Senate session (Getty Images)
A bipartisan group of US senators has reached an agreement on the final version of a bill imposing so-called "bone-crushing sanctions" against Russia. A vote is expected to take place soon, Bloomberg reports.
The legislation would grant the US president new powers to exert economic pressure on countries that continue purchasing Russian energy.
In particular, it would authorize additional tariffs on the five largest importers of Russian oil and natural gas, as well as on the five countries that help Russia circumvent energy sanctions.
The bill also extends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 through 2031, preserving the framework for secondary sanctions against foreign companies doing business with Tehran.
The legislation also provides for a blanket 500% tariff on Russian goods imported into the United States.
Separately, the president would be authorized to impose an additional 100% tariff on the largest buyers of Russian energy and on countries that facilitate sanctions evasion. However, a change introduced to the bill limits these new authorities to five years.
A procedural vote on the bill in the Senate is scheduled on July 28. However, the US House of Representatives has already gone on its August recess, meaning final passage and enactment of the legislation are not expected before September.
As previously reported, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in the United States for a meeting with President Donald Trump.
According to Zelenskyy, the main focus of the talks will be strengthening Ukraine's air defense, including securing additional missile defense systems and expanding strategic cooperation with the United States.
According to CNN, the two leaders will focus on the peace process between Russia and Ukraine during the meeting.
