Russia sanctions bill clears US Senate hurdle

The US Senate voted 86-12 on Tuesday to begin considering a sanctions bill aimed at Russia's energy revenues, clearing a first procedural hurdle but leaving debate and a final vote still ahead.

The bipartisan measure would target Russian officials, oligarchs, financial institutions and the so-called shadow fleet used to evade restrictions on Moscow's oil exports. It would also let President Donald Trump impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including countries such as China and India.

The vote came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Trump at the White House and later addressed senators to seek support for Ukraine and the sanctions push.

The legislation is named for Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who spent more than a year building support for it and reached an agreement with the White House on a revised version shortly before his death earlier this month. Six Republican and Democratic senators said moving the bill forward would honour Graham's legacy.

The revised bill also extends existing sanctions authority aimed at restricting funding for Iran's energy and weapons sectors, which was added at Trump's request. Some Democrats have raised concerns that the tariff provisions give Trump too much power and could raise import costs for US consumers or affect European allies.

The House has already left Washington for its summer recess and is unlikely to consider the bill before September.