Zelenskyy Thanks Trump for Signing Russia Sanctions Bill

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed gratitude to former President Donald Trump for signing into law a bill that expands sanctions against Russia. The legislation, championed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, received broad bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate before being signed by Trump.

In a message posted to Telegram, Zelenskyy described the bill as "critically important" and thanked Trump, as well as all members of Congress who supported it. He noted Graham's consistent advocacy for Kyiv and for increased pressure on Moscow.

"When Lindsey Graham was here in Ukraine, he would always talk about how important it was not to ease pressure on Russia, to strengthen sanctions and seek a path to peace," Zelenskyy wrote, adding that honoring Graham's memory would be best achieved by fully implementing the new law.

The new law authorizes and expands statutory sanctions, tariffs, and prohibitions on Russia. It also extends existing sanctions on Iran. According to the White House, the legislation targets Russian political officials, oligarchs, banks, financial institutions, and Russia's "shadow fleet" of tankers used to evade sanctions. Provisions are also included to prevent a lapse in sanction authority related to Iran's energy and weapons sectors.

The bill passed the House of Representatives with a vote of 262-159 and the Senate with an 86-11 margin. Some House Democratic leaders, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, voted against the bill, citing concerns that it granted