US Senate passes Russian sanctions bill

The US Senate took the first steps toward passage of a sweeping Russian sanctions bill on Tuesday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Capitol, moving forward on the legislation to penalize countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other exports after more than a year of negotiations.

The bipartisan 86-12 procedural vote came hours after a funeral for Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the bill's chief negotiator.

Zelenskyy, who was in Washington to attend the service for Graham, met with senators beforehand and told them Ukraine is making gains in its war with Russia, but still needs more help from the U.S.

Zelenskyy then went to the Senate gallery to watch the vote, waving in support at the senators down below.

At the meeting, Zelenskyy told senators that the sanctions legislation "is important as a moral signal to a country that is weary and tired, though holding its own and then some against Russia," Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana said as he left the meeting.

Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., announced a deal with the White House on the sanctions legislation on July 10, a day before his sudden death, likely from an aortic tear. Graham had just returned from a trip to Ukraine, where he met with Zelenskyy.