Senate advances Russia sanctions bill renamed for Lindsey Graham
What's new: The revised package also adds Iran sanctions as lawmakers push to curb oil and gas revenue funding Moscow's war.
The Senate cleared an initial hurdle on a bipartisan sanctions bill targeting Russia, moving ahead with legislation that lawmakers renamed for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. The measure, now called the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, is aimed at cutting off purchases of Russian oil and gas that back President Vladimir Putin's war effort in Ukraine. Sen. Richard Blumenthal said the bill's core purpose is to stop energy sales from financing the Kremlin. The latest version also adds sanctions on Iran. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was expected to meet lawmakers before a scheduled Senate vote, underscoring the push to tighten pressure on Moscow.