Congress is gearing up to hand President Trump an economic bazooka aimed straight at Moscow's war machine.
In a bold bipartisan push, Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) are spearheading a sanctions bill with 85 cosponsors to cripple Russia's funding for its ongoing war in Ukraine, while Trump signals renewed military support for Kyiv with defensive weapons and potential funding, CBS News reported.
Introduced by Graham back in April 2025, this legislative juggernaut would let Trump slap a staggering 500% tariff on nations like China, India, and Brazil for buying Russian oil and goods, which Graham calls the lifeblood of Putin’s aggression.
“That's the money Putin uses to prosecute the war,” Graham declared, and he’s not wrong—cutting off these cash flows could kneecap Moscow’s ability to sustain its brutal campaign.
With presidential discretion baked into the bill for tariff adjustments, Trump would have the flexibility to wield this tool as he sees fit, a pragmatic nod to real-world diplomacy.
Graham and Blumenthal took their case to the public on "Face the Nation" on July 13, 2025, framing this as a critical moment to force Russia to the negotiating table.
Meanwhile, Trump’s patience with Vladimir Putin seems to be wearing thin, as he admitted to being “very disappointed” after a fruitless call with the Russian leader earlier in July 2025.
That frustration isn’t just talk—last week, Trump announced more defensive weapons for Ukraine after a pause in shipments, a move he confirmed during a Cabinet meeting with a resolute, “I've approved that.”
Let’s be clear: while some might cheer this as overdue, it’s a calculated pivot, not a blank check, ensuring Ukraine can defend itself without escalating into a broader quagmire.
As Russia ramps up its attacks on Ukraine with drones and missiles—the worst since the invasion began in February 2022—Trump’s decision on weapons couldn’t come at a more urgent time.
Graham expects these arms to flow at “record levels” in the coming days, alongside new tariffs and sanctions tools for Trump, hinting at an announcement expected on July 14, 2025, about America selling weapons to bolster Ukraine.
On the legislative front, Senate Majority Leader John Thune noted “substantial progress” on the bill, suggesting it could hit the Senate floor before the work period ends on August 1, 2025, despite earlier delays from competing priorities and White House tweaks for more presidential leeway.
Across the Atlantic, Graham and Blumenthal met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy late last week, earning his praise on X for a bill he sees as leverage to “bring peace closer.”
Zelenskyy’s optimism is echoed by European allies, with Blumenthal noting they’re “absolutely in solidarity” on slamming down this economic hammer, while discussions heat up about tapping into $5 billion in seized Russian assets—a move Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.) supports converting into a trust for Ukraine’s benefit.
Yet, caution lingers; no U.S. president has seized such sovereign assets without being at war, and past hesitance under Biden due to European banking concerns shows this isn’t a simple fix—but as Graham quipped about Putin’s missteps, playing games with Trump might just be the Kremlin’s biggest blunder yet.
