On July 28, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky landed in Washington with one clear mission: to rescue a critical sanctions bill targeting Russia amid growing political hurdles. His day was packed a morning sit-down with President Trump and, later, a rare address to every U.S. senator. All focused on a stalled piece of legislation that could reshape America’s use against Moscow.

Senate Bill 1241, dubbed the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, aims to tighten economic screws on Russia by empowering the U.S. president to impose new sanctions not just on Russia itself but also on countries continuing to buy Russian energy. The catch: if Russia declines genuine peace talks or breaches existing accords, the U.S. could ramp up penalties.

This bill almost had a breakthrough on July 10, when a bipartisan Senate delegation met Zelensky in Kyiv, sealing an agreement that also won nods from the Trump administration. Senator Lindsey Graham, a fierce advocate for Ukraine, spearheaded the deal. His sudden death in mid-July cast a shadow over the bill’s future, leaving a leadership vacuum on Capitol Hill that Zelensky aimed to fill directly by appealing to all senators.

The biggest political friction isn’t coming from Republican skeptics, as one might expect. Instead, some Democrats raise red flags, mainly over two issues. One, the proposed tariffs on nations buying Russian energy could act like secondary sanctions, complicating international trade a sensitive topic as the current U.S. administration already faces criticism for its tariff policies. Two, there’s unease about granting the executive branch broad authority to impose sanctions unilaterally, sparking debate over how much power the president should wield in foreign policy decisions.

With the clock ticking and the bill’s momentum fragile, Zelensky’s direct engagement signals just how high the stakes are. His visit shows the tightrope Washington walks between toughening pressure on Russia and balancing complex domestic politics.

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