The US Senate will vote Tuesday on Russian sanctions, days after Ukraine attacked an Iranian vessel within the Caspian Sea.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is predicted to fulfill United States President Donald Trump within the White Home on Tuesday, a gathering that might coincide with the introduction of powerful new sanctions on Russia.
Zelenskyy, who will attend the funeral of US Senator Lindsey Graham, can also be scheduled to fulfill with the Senate on Tuesday night, the Reuters information company reported, citing two Senate aides.
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The vote on Russia sanctions, laws that has been pending for months and was championed by Graham, might occur that very same day.
If enacted, the Russian sanctions invoice would ratchet up stress on Moscow by imposing one hundred pc tariffs on items from the 5 largest importers of Russian oil and gasoline, together with China and India.
In a last-minute intervention, Trump sought so as to add sanctions on Iran to the identical invoice. Zelenskyy instructed Trump ally Laura Loomer final week that he thinks the transfer is a “nice concept”.
Iran and Ukraine wars converge
The 2 wars, happening roughly 2,500km (1,550 miles) aside, have converged in latest days.
On Saturday, Ukraine attacked an Iranian tanker within the Caspian Sea that Ukraine’s ambassador to Israel, Yevgen Korniychuk, stated was carrying drones and navy elements from Iran to Russia. Iran has promised to retaliate.
By attacking Iranian ships, Kyiv will not be solely doing itself a favour but in addition attacking Washington’s “enemy primary”, which can please the US, former US ambassador to Kazakhstan and Georgia, William Courtney, instructed Al Jazeera.
However whereas Zelenskyy helps Iranian sanctions as a part of the Russian sanctions invoice, Ukraine is unlikely to wish to be too carefully related to the “unpopular” US struggle on Iran, he added.
The US now not gives direct monetary assist to Ukraine for its struggle towards the Russian invasion, but it surely nonetheless gives essential intelligence for long-range strikes and sells weapons to Europe which can be then handed on to Ukraine.
Trump-Zelenskyy relationship
Whereas their relationship appeared tense throughout a heated trade within the White Home in February 2025, relations between Zelenskyy and Trump have improved considerably in latest months.
The 2 leaders agreed earlier this month to permit Ukraine to collectively produce Patriot air defence interceptors, a vital part for the nation’s defence towards Russian aerial assaults.
Ukraine and the US are additionally transferring nearer to a deal on joint drone manufacturing, a transfer that might assist the US meet up with Ukraine on this essential navy know-how.
Ukraine is on observe to provide 6 to 7 million short-range assault drones this yr, whereas the Pentagon’s $1.1bn manufacturing programme may have ordered just below 200,000 drones cumulatively by February 2027.
Combating continues
Heavy preventing continues on Ukraine’s entrance strains, and long-range strikes are happening virtually each day.
On Monday, Russian strikes on jap Ukraine killed seven individuals and injured greater than 20, officers stated.
In Russia’s Belgorod area, a Ukrainian drone struck a industrial constructing, killing one particular person and injuring two.
Combating is heaviest in Ukraine’s Konstantinyvka and Pokrovsk instructions, each of that are within the Donetsk area.
