'All eyes on Congress': U.S. sanctions vote against Russia expected after Trump’s 'green light'

Anastasiia Sliusarenko, public relations coordinator for the advocacy team at Razom for Ukraine, stated this on Espreso TV.

“Senator Lindsey Graham from South Carolina held an informal meeting with President Trump, during which Trump said it was time to move his bill forward. What does this mean? It means the vote on this bill will not take place before July 7. But it could also happen on the 13th, 15th, or 17th. In other words, there is no specific date yet,” Sliusarenko noted.

According to her, everyone was waiting for this “green light” from President Trump. Both parties were cautious in their assessment of the sanctions bill against Russia, so as not to alarm anyone.

“We know how President Trump feels about the Democratic Party and the opposition. That’s why everyone was expressing their opinions very carefully. And even if Congress votes for this bill, it does not mean the automatic imposition of new sanctions against Russia. It only gives President Trump the authority to impose them when he deems it appropriate. This understanding is very important for all of us. But the very fact that this decision is moving forward is a big step,” Sliusarenko added.

• On June 29, 2025, U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham received approval from President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on Russian oil exports, which primarily go to India and China.