Two U.S. senators — Lindsey Graham from South Carolina and Richard Blumenthal from Connecticut — are working together to introduce tough new sanctions against Russia. Graham is a Republican and a close ally of President Donald Trump, while Blumenthal is a Democrat. Despite being from different political parties, they agree that stronger steps are needed to stop Russia from continuing its military actions in Ukraine.
They recently visited Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, to see the situation firsthand. After returning, they announced their plan to push forward a bill that would raise tariffs by 500% on goods from any country that continues buying Russian oil or uranium. These tariffs would make those goods much more expensive to import into the United States.
The goal is simple: cut off the money that Russia earns from selling energy. Graham and Blumenthal believe this money helps fuel Russia’s war efforts. They want the new sanctions to be in place before the Group of Seven (G-7) summit, which will be held in Alberta, Canada, from June 15 to June 17.
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Their bill already has strong support in the Senate. According to their statement, 82 senators have signed on as co-sponsors. That’s a large number, showing widespread agreement that more pressure on Russia is needed.
Pressure on China and India Over Oil
Graham and Blumenthal are also calling on countries like China and India to stop buying Russian oil. Since many Western countries have cut back on buying from Russia, China and India have been getting oil at lower prices. But the senators say that buying this cheap oil is helping fund their military.
In a joint statement, the senators said they want the United States and Europe to work together to stop this. They are also asking the G-7 countries to consider lowering the official price cap on Russian oil. That cap is meant to limit how much Russia can earn, but the senators think it needs to be even tighter.
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To build support for their plan, the senators recently met with top French officials in Paris. They also spoke on the phone with French President Emmanuel Macron. They told him they believe President Vladimir Putin is not serious about peace talks and is instead preparing for a new military attack later this summer or fall. They said Macron also agrees that the oil price cap should be lowered.
Trump’s Role Still Unclear
Although Lindsey Graham is closely aligned with President Donald Trump, it’s not yet clear where Trump stands on these new sanctions. In recent weeks, Trump has called for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, hoping to stop the fighting without more escalation.
However, there are signs that Trump is getting more frustrated with Vladimir Putin. Still, he has not said whether he supports Graham’s bill, which could cause big changes in oil markets around the world. If the bill becomes law, it could make oil and gas more expensive for many countries, including the United States.
Despite the uncertainty from the White House, Graham and Blumenthal say they’re moving forward quickly. They believe the world should send a strong, united message before the G-7 leaders gather in Canada.