Zelensky Meets U.S. Senate Ahead of Vote on Sanctions Against Russia

Two aides to U.S. senators said that all 100 members of the Senate are invited to a meeting on Tuesday evening with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is in Washington to attend the funeral of the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.

One aide said the Senate is also expected to begin voting, possibly during Zelenskyy’s visit, on a bill to impose sanctions on Russia, which Graham had been one of its strongest supporters. The legislation had been stalled for about a year before Graham’s sudden death this month. It aims to reduce Russia’s revenue from energy sales used to fund its war in Ukraine.

Lawmakers lowered the tariff rate included in the bill to 100 percent, instead of a uniform 500 percent in a previous version of the legislation, in an effort to gain support. However, the bill has raised concerns in Congress about the possibility of granting President Trump new powers.