According to Politico, Republican Senator James Lankford, after his visit to Kyiv, admitted he could not assure Ukrainian President Zelensky that Congress would soon approve the long-awaited new round of sanctions against Russia, while Zelensky urged swift consideration. Lankford also expressed skepticism about the possibility of an agreement between Moscow and Kyiv, but believed that CIA Director John Ratcliffe's recent secret visit to Russia might have been productive. Previously, the US Senate overwhelmingly passed a bill drafted with the participation of the late Senator Lindsey Graham. The proposal stipulated a 100% tariff on the five largest buyers of Russian energy and a 500% tariff on all Russian goods imported into the US. The bill was subsequently sent to the House of Representatives, but due to the House recess until August 31, lawmakers will not begin considering it until September.
