“Zelensky did what seemed impossible a year ago – convinced Washington that Kyiv can win the war,” the publication writes.
According to U.S. senators, the main topics of the talks were tougher sanctions on Russia, military aid to Ukraine, and prospects for peace negotiations.
Senator Mike Rounds said after the meeting that, according to Zelensky, new sanctions could cement Ukraine’s success on the battlefield and force Russian President Vladimir Putin to sit at the negotiating table.
“This whole program is designed to force Putin to sit at the negotiating table,” Rounds said.
Requested increased military support
Politico notes that Zelensky also emphasized the need to expand military support to Ukraine during the meeting.
They discussed licensing for interceptor missiles for the Patriot air defense systems, additional PAC-3 missile supplies, and uninterrupted access to Starlink satellite communications, which is necessary for strikes deep inside Russian territory.
Meanwhile, Senator John Boozman said that the change in mood in Washington was also influenced by recent achievements of the Ukrainian military on the front lines.
Support for new sanctions grows in Congress
According to Politico, a bill for new sanctions against countries that continue to buy Russian oil is gaining more support in the U.S. Congress.
Read more U.S. military reports intercepting missiles launched by Iran
The publication states that the initiative received a new boost from the unexpected death of Senator Lindsey Graham, Zelensky’s visit to Washington, and the changed course of the war.
However, the bill still has to go through all the legislative procedures, and the White House’s final position on it is not yet clear.
Moreover, even with improved relations between Kyiv and Washington, the final adoption of the sanctions package may take time, as the document still needs to be considered by the House of Representatives.
U.S. sanctions on Russia
The U.S. is one of the main initiators of international sanctions against Russia. The first restrictive measures were introduced back in 2014 after the occupation of Crimea, but a broad sanctions regime began to be applied after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
U.S. sanctions target the largest Russian banks, state-owned companies, defense industry enterprises, high-ranking officials, oligarchs, and their family members. The export of goods and technologies that can be used for the production of weapons and military equipment to Russia has also been severely restricted.
In 2025, a bill was introduced in the U.S. Congress proposing to further increase economic pressure on Moscow. It suggests imposing high tariffs on countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other raw materials if the Kremlin refuses peace talks with Ukraine.
Read more A police officer on duty was involved in an accident in Panevėžys
