In the US Senate, the House of Representatives was urged to urgently pass a sanctions bill against Russia

American Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal called on the US House of Representatives to approve as quickly as possible the large-scale sanctions bill against Russia, which the Senate supported back in early August. According to him, the situation in the war against Ukraine requires urgent action from Congress.

Blumenthal said this on August 30 on the Face the Nation program on CBS News. The call came on the eve of the House of Representatives returning to work after a five-week summer break.

The senator believes that additional economic pressure can significantly reduce the revenues that Russia uses to finance the war. He also linked the need for swift passage of the document with the risk of further escalation from the Kremlin and the deteriorating state of the Russian economy.

At the same time, the bill's passage through the lower chamber of Congress is not yet guaranteed. Some Democrats in the House of Representatives have expressed concern about the expansion of the US president's authority in the area of tariff policy.

The Senate has already supported the document with 86 votes

The document is the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which the US Senate approved on August 7 by an overwhelming bipartisan majority - 86 votes to 11.

After that, a similar version of the bill was introduced in the House of Representatives. The document provides for additional sanctions against Russian officials, oligarchs, banks and financial institutions, as well as measures against the Russian "shadow fleet".

A separate section concerns buyers of Russian energy resources. The US President will be able to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest importers of Russian oil or gas. At the same time, the bill contains exceptions and restrictions on the use of these powers.

Blumenthal emphasized that the current version is the result of lengthy negotiations with the White House, the US Trade Representative, Republicans and Democrats. He attributed the broad support for the document in the Senate to this.

Zelensky called sanctions the first priority

Blumenthal visited Ukraine last week and met with President Volodymyr Zelensky. According to the senator, the Ukrainian president outlined for him the main issues that Kyiv would like to advance in Washington.

Zelensky named the adoption of the new sanctions bill against Russia as the first of them.

Blumenthal also called on the Ukrainian president to work more actively directly with members of the House of Representatives, as Kyiv has previously done with senators. He expressed hope that among Democrats in the lower chamber there will be enough votes to pass the document.

Previously, sanctions were expected in September

Kurs.com.ua earlier reported that after the bill was adopted by the Senate, its further movement was expected precisely in September, when the House of Representatives returns after the holidays.

Blumenthal himself had said back in late August that he counted on final passage of the sanctions package in September and was negotiating with the leadership of the House of Representatives.

The senator's new statement indicates that after the congressmen's return to Washington, supporters of the bill intend to increase pressure for its speedy consideration.

Even if approved by the House of Representatives, the bill still has to go through the necessary legislative procedures and reach US President Donald Trump for signature.

Based on materials from: CBS News