U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) is back from his tenth trip to Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in 2022. He returns to Washington, D.C., on Monday with renewed drive for U.S. sanctions on Russian oil and for sending more weapons to Ukraine.
Blumenthal has been one of the Senate’s loudest Ukraine allies. He traveled with U.S. Representative Jim Himes (D-CT-4).
According to Blumenthal, rising oil prices caused by the war in Iran are good for Russia, another major oil exporter.
He said sanctions would slow Russian oil sales, forcing the country to negotiate an end to the war.
“Russia has enjoyed a windfall as a result of the Iran war increasing oil prices, which means that Russia's oil revenue has also increased,” Blumenthal said. “But we need to choke this source of revenue that is literally the foundation for Putin's war machine. If we can stop the flow of revenue to Putin's war machine, we can help bring him to the table.”
The legislation would impose a 500% tariff on countries buying Russian oil, gas, and uranium. China and India are their top buyers.
The sanctions bill was initially introduced in April 2025. It has bipartisan support, notably from Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who is an ally of President Trump (R). The pair are the lead co-sponsors on the legislation.
Blumenthal and Graham have traveled to Ukraine together multiple times.
Their bill has come close to a vote multiple times since it was introduced, but hasn’t been called to the floor yet. Graham said Trump supported the bill earlier this year, a major indicator that it could soon become law, but it didn't make it to the finish line.
Blumenthal, who said he had to shelter during air raids multiple times during his trip, is also pushing for more weapons for Ukraine.
“I will come back to Washington this week, urging that we provide the aerial defense patriot system interceptors, that and other kinds of means of defense that Ukraine needs,” Blumenthal said.
Blumenthal and Himes met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during their trip.
