Zelenskyy Urges Trump to Swiftly Enforce ‘Hellish Sanctions’ Against Russia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on US President Donald Trump to fully and swiftly implement the sweeping sanctions legislation against Russia championed by the late US Senator Lindsey Graham.

Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s partners should remain mindful that Russia continues to escalate its attacks on a daily basis.

“If the Russians choose even more brutal strikes, the world must choose a tougher response to prevent the war from spreading further,” the Ukrainian president said.

“We ask President Trump to implement Lindsey Graham’s law against Russia and everyone who financially supports its war,” Zelenskyy said.

He also called on European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to pursue additional European sanctions against Russia.

“We ask all leaders not to remove Russian oligarchs from existing sanctions lists and to further restrict trade with those supporting Russia until it ends the war. This is how peace must be achieved, through joint, sustained efforts every day,” Zelenskyy said.

Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 into law on September 18. The legislation expands sanctions targeting Russia and gives the US president broad authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on imports from major countries that continue to purchase Russian oil and natural gas, as well as on countries facilitating sanctions evasion.