--- title: "Zelenskyy in Washington: Meeting with US Senators and the Fate of 'Hellish Sanctions' Against Russia" description: "πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ Zelenskyy will meet with all 100 US Senators on the night of July 29. The key topic is the \"hellish sanctions\" against the RF, which Lindsey Graham championed. 🚫 Democrats are blocking the law due to Trump's demands to expand presidential powers. Russia may try to sabotage the vote by simulating peace initiatives." date: 2026-07-28T00:46:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/zelenskyy-washington-meeting-us-senators-fate-hellish-sanctions-russia tags: [zelensky, us-senate, sanctions, lindsey-graham, donald-trump] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Zelenskyy in Washington: Meeting with US Senators and the Fate of 'Hellish Sanctions' Against Russia ![Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in black attire sits at a table during a meeting with US senators in Washington, discussing new sanctions against Russia.](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/28/zelensky-vashington-senat-ssha-adskie-sanktsii-protiv-rossii/zelensky-vashington-senat-ssha-adskie-sanktsii-protiv-rossii-1.webp) On the night of July 29, Kyiv time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will hold a major meeting with all 100 US Senators. The event is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:00 PM local time at the Capitol building. This event takes place against the backdrop of a critically important process β€” the consideration by the US Senate of a bill introducing unprecedented sanctions against Russia and its trade partners. ### The Fate of the Lindsey Graham Bill The central item on the agenda will be the sanctions package previously championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham. The document, which has garnered support from representatives of both parties, aims to increase pressure on Moscow in connection with the ongoing aggression against Ukraine. Zelenskyy's meeting with the legislators is intended to consolidate efforts to pass this law. It is known that US President Donald Trump approved the initiative, however, he put forward his own conditions. He demanded that the bill text include an expansion of the sanctions regime against Iran and the organization "Hezbollah." It is precisely these aspects that will likely be the subject of detailed discussion during the dialogue with the Ukrainian leader. ### Political Context and Internal Disagreements Zelenskyy's visit to Washington also coincides with the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham. Furthermore, a personal meeting with Donald Trump is scheduled in his itinerary. The publication The Hill notes that such formats of communication are not news: for several months, small groups of senators have regularly met with the President of Ukraine to discuss aid to Kyiv. However, the path to adopting the "hellish sanctions" is not without difficulties. Despite general support for the document, a faction of Democrats is blocking its adoption. The conflict arose due to the mechanism for implementing sanctions. Initially, the document assumed that decisions on the introduction or lifting of restrictions would be made by the US Congress. However, Trump insisted on rewriting the text to obtain the sole right to decide when and against whom to apply restrictions. This requirement does not suit the Democrats, creating risks for an early vote. ### Risks of Sabotage from Moscow The Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Andriy Sybiga, warned of possible attempts by Russia to sabotage the vote on this document. According to him, Moscow may resort again to the tactic of simulating a desire for peace to create obstacles to the adoption of strict measures against the Kremlin. The vote on the Graham sanctions package was expected as early as this week, but political intrigues in Washington could change this schedule.