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U.S. Senators Warn Putin Preparing New Offensive, Urge Swift Sanctions Before Peace Talks
U.S. Senators warn Putin is stalling peace talks to prepare a new Ukraine offensive and push for urgent bipartisan sanctions to cripple Russia’s war economy.
MOSCOW, RUSSIA - MAY 10 (RUSSIA OUT) Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures during a Russian-Vietnamese meeting at the Grand Kremlin Palace. May 10, 2025 in Moscow, Russia. President Putin holds meeting with foreign leaders during Victory Day celebrations, around the May 9th holday period, which commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of Second World War. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images)
Russian President Vladimir Putin is stalling in peace negotiations while preparing a renewed military offensive in Ukraine, U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal warned Sunday, stating that the coming two weeks could shape the future of a war that has devastated cities, displaced millions, and redrawn Europe’s security landscape.
Speaking to The Associated Press in Paris after visiting Kyiv and surveying the aftermath of Russian bombardments, the Republican and Democratic senators emphasized the urgency of enacting sweeping new sanctions against Russia. They said these sanctions could represent the West’s last opportunity to cripple the Kremlin’s war economy.
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“What I learned on this trip was he’s preparing for more war,” said Graham. Blumenthal described the sanctions outlined in a pending bipartisan bill as “bone-crushing,” asserting it would isolate Russia’s economy and place it “on a trade island.”
Blumenthal added, “It is crunch time for Putin and for the world because Russia is mounting a new offensive.”
The proposed legislation, supported by nearly the entire U.S. Senate but still facing uncertainty in Washington, includes imposing 500% tariffs on nations continuing to purchase Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other exports. The bill specifically targets China and India, which collectively account for about 70% of Russia’s energy trade and thus fund much of its war effort.
“This is the most draconian bill I’ve ever seen in my life in the Senate,” Graham said. “We’re going to hit China and India for propping up his war machine.”
Peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are scheduled to resume Monday in Istanbul. However, Ukrainian officials claim Moscow has not submitted a serious proposal, which the senators described as a strategic delay.
“Putin is playing President Trump. He’s taking him for a sucker,” Blumenthal said. “He is, in effect, stalling and stonewalling, prolonging the conversation so that he can mount this offensive and take control of more territory on the ground.”
Graham echoed these concerns, saying they saw credible evidence suggesting Putin is preparing for a new offensive in the summer or early fall. “He’s preparing for more war,” Graham stated.
Former President Donald Trump has not yet endorsed the sanctions bill, saying Friday, “I don’t know. I’ll have to see it.” Graham noted the legislation was drafted in consultation with Trump’s advisers and said he supports Trump’s diplomatic instincts but cautioned against continuing to engage Putin under false pretenses. “It’s become painfully clear he’s not interested in ending this war,” he said.
The senators expressed hope that their bipartisan visit and the stories they bring back from Ukraine would influence U.S. policy. “He \[Putin] needs to see and hear that message as well from us, from the American people,” Blumenthal said.
While in Kyiv, the senators were struck by the war’s human toll. Graham referenced the estimated 20,000 Ukrainian children reportedly deported to Russia, calling their return an issue of justice, not diplomacy. Blumenthal recounted visiting mass graves in Bucha and hearing firsthand accounts of civilian executions. “Putin is a thug. He’s a murderer,” he said.
They warned that delaying action now could result in deeper U.S. involvement in the future, including military obligations under NATO if Russia continues its aggression.
Following a one-hour meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, the senators stated that Europe is showing renewed resolve. “President Macron has shown moral clarity in his conversations with us,” Blumenthal said. “Today, he is 100% aligned with that message that we are taking back to Washington.”
Blumenthal highlighted the rare bipartisan support for the sanctions bill, noting it has united 41 Republicans and 41 Democrats. “The cause of Ukraine is doing it,” he said.
Ukrainian military leaders are expected to brief Congress, with a potential vote on the sanctions bill to follow. “President Trump said we’ll know in two weeks whether he’s being strung along,” Graham said. “There will be more evidence of that from Russia on Monday.”
