Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., met with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday in Kyiv regarding legislation they are sponsoring to impose severe sanctions on Russia and the coordinated effort to end the more than three-year-old conflict.

Graham and Blumenthal, steadfast supporters of the U.S. providing financial and military assistance to Ukraine, last week introduced a bill that would impose severe sanctions against Russia and those supporting its aggression in Ukraine should Moscow refuse to engage in good-faith peace negotiations. The sanctions include a 500% tariff on imported goods from countries that buy Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other products.

“We understand that Russia is trying to turn diplomacy into a farce,” Zelenskyy said, The New Voice of Ukraine reported. “It hides behind talks while planning fresh offensive operations on the front, striking our towns and villages daily and rejecting any ceasefire proposals.

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