US Steps Up Pressure on Russia With New Sanctions

The bill was approved by 262 votes to 159 and now heads to US President Donald Trump for signature. The Senate had already approved the proposal last month by 86 votes to 11.

The measures target Russian officials, banks and financial institutions, as well as sectors considered important to the country’s economy, including energy and defence.

The package also seeks to target Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”, made up of vessels used to transport oil and bypass some of the international sanctions imposed on Moscow.

One of the most significant provisions allows Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major countries that continue to buy large quantities of Russian oil or natural gas.

China and India are among the countries particularly affected by the measure because of the volume of Russian energy they import. Supporters of the legislation say the goal is to reduce Moscow’s revenue from oil and gas sales, which remain an important source of income for the Russian economy during the war.

The bill, however, provides exemptions for certain countries, including those that have significantly reduced their dependence on Russian energy.

The legislation received support from both Republicans and Democrats, but it also triggered disagreements in Congress. Some Democratic lawmakers expressed concern over the additional powers granted to Trump to impose tariffs, warning that the measures could also affect US partners and allies.

Other members of Congress argued that increasing economic pressure on Moscow could help push the Russian Government towards negotiations to end the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had publicly called for the package to be approved, arguing that stronger sanctions were important to reduce Russia’s financial capacity to sustain its military operations in Ukraine.

The package was named after the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who spent more than a year working to build political support for the initiative.

The approval represents one of the most significant measures adopted by the US Congress in recent years to increase economic pressure on Moscow since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

With approval from both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the package now requires Donald Trump’s signature before it can take effect.