On 29 July 2026, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky cast the sole Republican vote against advancing a sweeping sanctions bill targeting Russia over its war in Ukraine. The legislation was backed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham and had broad bipartisan support otherwise.
The U.S. Senate voted 86-12 on July 28 to advance the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, imposing harsher sanctions on Russia and oil/gas buyers than previously enacted. President Trump subsequently demanded amendments to add tariff authorities on Iran, potentially complicating passage of the bill named for the late senator.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Washington DC for a meeting with President Trump and to attend Senator Lindsey Graham's funeral. Zelensky prioritized obtaining anti-ballistic missile defenses and strategic cooperation with the US.
All 100 US senators have been invited to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday evening during the week of Senator Lindsey Graham's funeral. The Senate is expected to vote on a Russia sanctions bill championed by Graham during Zelensky's visit.