The Republican-led US Senate has approved a bipartisan bill to impose sanctions on Russia, an initiative led by South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham before his sudden death last month at the age of 71.
The bill, approved on Friday by 86 votes to 11, aims to hit the Russian economy and end the war that began in 2022, when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, a conflict that has since caused thousands of civilian casualties, writes npr .
The plan calls for sanctions on senior Russian officials and tougher measures against countries that buy Russian oil and natural gas. The bill gives US President Donald Trump the power to impose tariffs on these importing countries, up to 100 percent for major buyers of Russian energy, such as China and India. In addition, the bill extends sanctions on Iran.
Shortly before his death, Graham met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and announced that he had reached an agreement with the White House to support the bill. After his death, Graham’s colleagues in the Senate said they would name the legislation in his honor.
The bill still needs to be approved by the House of Representatives before it can be sent to the president for signature. Trump has signaled his support for the bill, as has House Speaker Mike Johnson.
However, the Louisiana Republican won’t have many votes to lose, as some House Democrats have expressed opposition to the bill. They are particularly concerned that the initiative gives Trump new powers to impose tariffs. /Telegraph