Zelensky asks Trump to invoke "Graham Law" sanctions and raise war with Xi Jinping
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he asked US President Donald Trump during their conversation to apply the so-called "Graham Law" — sanctions on Russia and punitive tariffs on buyers of Russian energy — and to raise the war with Chinese leader Xi Jinping so that China would press Russia to end the war. Zelensky spoke to journalists by audio link on September 25, a day after Trump's meeting with Xi at a US military base. As of his remarks, Ukraine had not yet received US feedback on the outcome of Trump's talks with the Chinese leader.
Key points
- Zelensky told journalists on September 25 he raised the "Graham Law" with Trump, asking him to impose sanctions on Russia and punitive tariffs on buyers of Russian energy.
- The Graham Law was approved by the US Senate in August, the House on September 17, and signed by Trump on September 19.
- Zelensky personally asked Trump to raise the war with Chinese leader Xi Jinping so that Beijing would press Moscow to end it.
- Trump met Xi on September 24 at Andrews military base; Zelensky said Ukraine was awaiting US feedback on the talks.
- Zelensky said US sanctions are strong and currently "in the hands of the US president" as a tool to pressure Russia.
- He also asked European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to impose additional EU sanctions and keep Russian oligarchs on existing lists.
- Zelensky told Trump that Putin "is not in a hurry to end the war" and is not giving corresponding signals.
Why it matters
Zelensky is publicly lobbying the US president to activate a specific sanctions mechanism targeting Russia and buyers of Russian energy, while simultaneously seeking to enlist China — a key Russian partner — in pressuring Moscow. Whether Trump invokes the Graham Law is a concrete decision point that could materially tighten economic pressure on Russia and shape the trajectory of the war.
What happened
Speaking to journalists by audio link on September 25, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had asked US President Donald Trump during their conversation to apply the "Graham Law" — a package of sanctions on Russia and punitive tariffs on buyers of Russian energy — and to raise the Russo-Ukrainian war with Chinese leader Xi Jinping so that Beijing would press Moscow to end the fighting. Zelensky said the sanctions tool is strong and now "in the hands of the US president." He noted that Trump and Xi had already met on September 24 at Andrews military base, where the US side rolled out a red carpet and lined up six fighter jets, and said Ukraine was still awaiting US feedback on those talks. Zelensky also said the entire Trump team, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, discussed sanctions policy in detail. Separately, he asked European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to impose additional EU sanctions, keep Russian oligarchs on existing sanctions lists, and further restrict trade with Russia until the war ends.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian outlets center Zelensky's own statements to journalists, portraying him as actively lobbying both Trump and EU leaders for tougher sanctions. The coverage emphasizes that the sanctions instrument is already "in the hands of the US president," framing implementation as a political choice now resting with Trump. Reporting also pairs the diplomatic push with continued Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities — 14 injured and two killed in Zaporizhzhia overnight, with buildings hit in Kyiv, Zaporizhzhia, and the Odesa, Sumy, and Kharkiv oblasts — underscoring the urgency behind the sanctions appeal.
Background
The Graham Law, a bill co-authored by Senator Lindsey Graham, combines sanctions on Russia with punitive tariffs on buyers of Russian energy resources. The US Senate approved it in August, the House approved it on September 17, and Trump signed it into law on September 19. During his September 22 UN General Assembly speech, Trump publicly raised the possibility of additional sanctions against Russia and its oil-market counterparties, saying "if necessary, I will have to use them." Zelensky has separately asked EU leaders to impose additional sanctions and to keep Russian oligarchs on existing lists.