The US Senate on Friday overwhelmingly passed a sweeping sanctions bill targeting Russia, advancing long-delayed legislation aimed at increasing economic pressure on Moscow over its war in Ukraine.
The bill, titled the “Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026,” passed by a vote of 86-11 and would impose additional sanctions on Russian officials while granting the US president expanded authority to impose heavy tariffs on countries that continue buying Russian energy.
The legislation also includes broader sanctions on Iran, as lawmakers moved to revive a measure that was first introduced in April 2025 but had been stalled due to opposition from President Donald Trump, who preferred keeping sanctions decisions under White House control.
If approved by the House of Representatives and signed into law by Trump, the bill would allow the president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on imports from major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India, Japan, and some European Union countries. The president would have discretion over whether to remove those tariffs.
Supporters of the legislation said the goal is to reduce Russia’s energy revenues, which they argue help finance the war in Ukraine. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the tariffs are designed to make it more costly for countries to continue purchasing Russian energy.
Opponents warned that expanded tariff powers could increase costs for American importers and consumers and create political risks for lawmakers.
The bill was strongly backed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham, one of Ukraine’s most vocal supporters in Congress. Shortly before his death in July, Graham said he and Trump had agreed to move forward with the legislation after more than a year of efforts to advance it.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the Senate vote, saying the sanctions would weaken Russia’s ability to finance the war and send a strong signal of US support for Ukraine and its allies.
The legislation now moves to the House of Representatives, where it must be approved before being sent to President Trump’s desk for final signature.
