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Updated on: July 12, 2026 / 12:55 PM EDT
/ CBS News
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Washington — GOP Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio said Sunday that he's hopeful the Senate will soon pass a Russia sanctions bill as "one of the legacies" of Sen. Lindsey Graham, a staunch backer of stricter Russia sanctions who died suddenly Saturday."This bill would be an important symbolism to say, 'We're going to be with Ukraine.' And I certainly hope the Senate moves it this week," Turner said on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."On Friday, Graham announced alongside Democratic Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, and GOP Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, that they had reached an agreement with the Trump administration to move forward with an updated Russia sanctions package. Designed to heap economic pressure on Moscow in an effort to bring the four-year war on Ukraine to a close, the package would impose sanctions and tariffs on countries doing business with Russia, including those that buy Russian oil. Graham, who died after a "brief and sudden illness" Saturday, had been pushing for the sanctions for more than a year, after first introducing the bill last April. Last July, Graham said on "Face the Nation" that a "turning point" was coming in Russia's war with Ukraine, saying tighter sanctions would give Trump a "sledgehammer" against Russia's economy. But Senate Republicans waited for months for the go-ahead from the administration, despite support from the bulk of the chamber.The South Carolina Republican met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy just days ago in Kyiv. Zelenskyy remembered Graham Sunday as a "staunch advocate for bipartisan and bicameral support for Ukraine."Turner, who was at last week's annual NATO Summit alongside Graham and other lawmakers, said as they met with Zelenskyy, "Lindsey Graham was making the point of the need for this sanctions bill."
