Ukraine sanctions chief sees 'good chance' for Russia bill in US House

September 4, 2026 at 07:31 AM2 min

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Ukraine's sanctions commissioner Vladyslav Vlasiuk said he remains optimistic about the Russia sanctions bill after meetings with US lawmakers in Washington. The Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 on August 7 by an 86-11 vote, but the House calendar has narrowed sharply ahead of the November elections.

Key Facts

The Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 on August 7 by an 86-11 vote.
Republican leaders announced on September 3 that the final two weeks of the pre-election House session are canceled.
House members are expected to leave Washington no later than September 17 and not return until mid-November.
Vlasiuk held roughly 20 meetings with lawmakers and congressional staff during his Washington visit.

Legislative Status

The bill would give the president additional authority to impose punitive tariffs on countries that continue buying Russian fossil fuels. It also includes provisions targeting Iran, which Vlasiuk said is engaged in close military-industrial cooperation with Moscow. Some House Democrats have expressed reservations about provisions that would give President Donald Trump additional authority to impose tariffs. Senior Republican aides told RFE/RL that the bill remains a GOP priority, provided Democrats "get their ducks in a row."

Ukraine's Diplomatic Push

Vlasiuk said the Ukrainian delegation encountered broad support for increasing pressure on Russia and that no lawmaker told him outright that they would oppose the legislation. "Everyone agreed that it was necessary to increase pressure on Russia," Vlasiuk said at a briefing at the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington. He described Ukraine as "quite optimistic" about the level of support for the legislation, including among Democrats. One potentially important route would be for the House to consider the bill under suspension of the rules, a fast-track procedure generally used for legislation expected to command broad support.