Sen. Lindsey Graham says sanctions bill would give Trump a “sledgehammer” against Russia amid “turning point” in war with Ukraine

Washington — Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, said Sunday that “a turning point regarding Russia invasion of Ukraine is coming” amid a bipartisan effort in Congress to impose new economic sanctions aimed at ramping up pressure on the Kremlin to end the war in Ukraine.

“For months, President Trump has tried to entice [Russian President Vladimir] Putin to the peace table. He’s put tariffs against countries that allow fentanyl to come in our country, other bad behavior — he’s left the door open regarding Russia. That door is about to close,” Graham said on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.”

Graham outlined that he and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat who also appeared Sunday on “Face the Nation,” are leading 85 cosponsors on a sanctions bill that he said would make a “sledgehammer available to President Trump to go after Putin’s economy and all those countries who prop up the Putin war machine.”

The South Carolina Republican explained that countries like China, India and Brazil buy oil and other goods from Russia, saying “that’s the money Putin uses to prosecute the war.” Graham said the sanctions package would give the president the ability to impose 500% tariffs on any country that helps Russia. And he noted that the president would have the discretion to dial the tariffs up or down, giving him “maximum flexibility.”

“We’re going after the people who keep Putin in business, and additional sanctions on Russia itself,” Graham said. “This is truly a sledgehammer available to President Trump to end this war.”

Graham introduced the legislation in April, gaining momentum in recent weeks as Mr. Trump expressed frustration with Putin.

After a call with the Russian leader earlier this month, Mr. Trump told reporters he was “very disappointed” and “didn’t make any progress.” And Mr. Trump said last week that his administration would send more defensive weapons to Ukraine days after some weapons shipments were paused, as Russia pounded Ukraine with drone and missile attacks in what Ukraine described as the largest such attacks since the invasion began in February 2022. 

“Putin is not treating human beings right. He’s killing too many people,” Mr. Trump said Tuesday during a Cabinet meeting. “So we’re sending some defensive weapons to Ukraine, and I’ve approved that.”

The president also said during the Cabinet meeting that he is “very strongly” considering the sanctions bill. 

The measure appeared sidelined in recent weeks amid other priorities in Congress and as the White House sought changes to the measure that would grant more flexibility to the president on imposing the sanctions. But Senate Majority Leader John Thune said last week that GOP leaders have made “substantial progress” on the legislation, and he forecasted that the measure could be ready for consideration on the Senate floor as early as this work period, which ends Aug. 1.

Graham and Blumenthal met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Europe late last week. The Ukrainian president praised the sanctions bill in a post on X after the meeting, saying “Without a doubt, this is exactly the kind of leverage that can bring peace closer and make sure diplomacy is not empty.”

Blumenthal said Sunday that European leaders are “absolutely in solidarity” with the U.S. on the sanctions, saying “bringing down this sledgehammer at this moment was emphasized by all of the European allies who were at the meeting that Sen. Graham and I attended in Europe.”

The Connecticut Democrat added that the language on the president’s waiver authority in the legislation is similar to previous measures, allowing the president to act while also providing congressional oversight. He called the assurance “very important” to his Democratic colleagues. 

“What is most important, I think, at this moment, is our unity,” Blumenthal said. “Sen. Graham and I, Republican and Democrat, coming together, the European leaders with diverse views, also in unity.”

The comments come as Mr. Trump is considering authorizing fresh funding for Ukraine for the first time since he took office in January, multiple diplomatic sources told CBS News. Asked about additional U.S. support for Ukraine, Graham teased an announcement the president is expected to make on Russia Monday, adding that “the idea of America selling weapons to help Ukraine is very much in play.”

“We’ve given Ukraine a lot,” Graham said. “We’ve given the money. We’ve given them military aid. We now have a minerals agreement with Ukraine that’s worth trillions of dollars. So I don’t want to get ahead of the president, but stay tuned about seized assets.”

Blumenthal also said Europeans leaders are making a plan to access at least part of the seized assets from Russia, noting that the $5 billion that the U.S. has seized could also be accessed. “I think it’s time to do it,” Blumenthal said. 

Rep. French Hill, an Arkansas Republican who also appeared Sunday on “Face the Nation,” spearheaded legislation during the Biden administration giving the president authority to seize foreign assets. And although consensus couldn’t previously be reached on the move, Hill said now is the time to act.

“I think it’s time for the president to convert those seized assets to a trust account for the benefit of Ukraine,” Hill said. 

No American president has ever seized the sovereign central bank assets of a country that the U.S. is not at war with. Former U.S. officials told CBS that the Biden administration declined to use that authority because of European opposition related to the unintended consequences on their own banking systems and economy that might result from seizing those state assets.

Graham said he expects in the coming days “you will see weapons flowing at a record level to help Ukraine defend themselves,” along with new tariffs and sanctions available to Mr. Trump and more support from Europe. 

“Putin made a miscalculation here,” Graham said. “For six months, President Trump tried to entice Putin to the table. The attacks have gone up, not down. One of the biggest miscalculations Putin has made is to play Trump.”