Ukraine is "optimistic" about new U.S. sanctions against Russia, but obstacles remain
Kyiv • UNN
The U.S. Senate approved a bill on sanctions against Russia and Iran, but its consideration in the House of Representatives remains uncertain. Vlasiuk said there is broad bipartisan support for increasing pressure on Moscow.
Ukraine's Presidential Commissioner for Sanctions Policy Vladyslav Vlasiuk is optimistic about the prospects for the sweeping sanctions bill against Russia in the U.S. Congress, despite growing uncertainty over when the House of Representatives will consider it. UNN reports this, citing RFE/RL.
How the sanctions are progressing
Ukraine's top sanctions official spent this week in Washington, meeting with lawmakers and congressional staff amid hopes of advancing Lindsey Graham's 2026 Sanctions Against Russia and Iran Act.
The legislation was passed by the Senate on August 7 by an overwhelming majority (86-11), reflecting rare bipartisan agreement. The bill would give the U.S. president additional powers to impose "punitive" tariffs on countries that continue to buy Russian fossil fuels. It also contains provisions targeting Iran, which, according to Vlasiuk, cooperates closely with Moscow in the military-industrial sphere.
But the measure will face a more difficult path in the House of Representatives, where some Democrats have raised concerns about provisions that would give U.S. President Donald Trump additional authority to impose tariffs.
In addition, on September 3, Republican leaders announced that the final two weeks of the House session before the November midterm elections had been canceled, significantly shortening the full legislative calendar for September. House members are expected to leave Washington no later than September 17 and return no earlier than mid-November. The House will reconvene for another week of work after next week's Labor Day recess.
The compressed calendar has increased pressure on supporters of the sanctions legislation. Senior Republican aides said the bill remains a Republican priority, provided that Democrats "work it out." Democratic aides, responding to inquiries, expressed cautious optimism about the measure, while emphasizing uncertainty over whether Speaker Mike Johnson will bring it up for consideration.
"A good chance"
Vlasiuk said that during his visit to Washington, he held approximately 20 meetings with lawmakers and congressional staff, including discussions with members of both parties.
He said the Ukrainian delegation encountered broad support for increasing pressure on Russia, and that no lawmaker directly told him they would oppose the legislation.
Everyone agreed that pressure on Russia needed to be increased. No one said that they definitely would not support this bill
He described Ukraine as "quite optimistic" about the level of support for the legislation, particularly among Democrats.
One potentially important avenue could be for the House to consider the bill under a suspension of the rules - an expedited procedure typically used for bills expected to receive broad support. Vlasiuk said this was one of the realistic scenarios for advancing the bill.
I think there is a really good chance that this bill will be brought up for consideration
Vlasiuk had previously identified the week after next as Kyiv's preferred window for a vote in the House. Given the House's compressed calendar, this period could be one of the last opportunities for a vote before lawmakers leave Washington.
Asked whether momentum around the bill still existed, Vlasiuk pointed to what he characterized as continuing bipartisan support for Ukraine.
"There is a great deal of support for Ukraine on the Hill," he said, adding that Kyiv was emphasizing the urgency of passing the bill "very loudly." "At the same time, well, I mean, let's wait and see," Vlasiuk said.
Position on the tariff provisions
Vlasiuk defended the tariff provisions, arguing that they could make the sanctions significantly more effective. "This is a powerful tool that will make it possible to strengthen the effect of the sanctions," he said.
He argued that tariffs and sanctions may have a similar economic impact, but differ in how easily they can be circumvented.
"Sanctions can be adapted, sanctions can be circumvented. Tariffs cannot be adapted or circumvented," Vlasiuk said.
He also dismissed concerns that countries could be arbitrarily targeted by the bill, saying that the legislation establishes criteria based on purchases of Russian fossil fuels.
In particular, he pointed to China and India, which, as the publication writes, "Ukraine considers central to Russia’s continued ability to sell its energy exports."
Vlasiuk said the pressure could become a "huge blow" to Russia’s ability to finance its war against Ukraine.
Ukraine also supports including Iran in the bill, he said, referring to Tehran’s close military cooperation with Moscow.
"Everyone understands how close the cooperation is between the military-industrial complexes of these countries," Vlasiuk said. "Therefore, Iran fully deserves to be recognized as such," he added.
For Kyiv, as noted, the urgency is not merely legislative.
Vlasiuk warned that Ukraine will face another difficult winter after months of Russian missile and drone attacks. He said that 160 people had been killed in missile and drone attacks in recent months.
"We must increase pressure on Russia to force it to change its plans, to force it to truly negotiate," he said.
He argued that passing the sanctions bill now would have two consequences: it could ultimately increase economic pressure on Russia, while immediately sending a political signal both to Ukraine and to the Russian government.
According to him, there is an element of inertia in sanctions policy. Even after the legislation is passed, implementing the measures could take several days, while a significant impact on Russia’s economy could take weeks.
"But at the same time, the very fact of passing this sanctions bill," Vlasiuk said, would send a "strong signal of support to the Ukrainian people" and a "truly strong signal to the Russian government."