New Delhi:
The US Senate has approved a bill that will allow President Donald Trump to impose 100% tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas, including India and China.Â
The bill, named in honour of Republican senator Lindsey Graham, a staunch supporter of Ukraine who died on July 11, was approved by the Senate by an 86-11 vote. Graham had strongly advocated for new sanctions against Russia for launching the Ukraine war, now in its fifth year.
His sister, Darline Graham, who succeeded him in the Senate, said the bill “hits (Russian President Vladimir) Putin where it hurts.”Â
Democrat Richard Blumenthal, who pressed for the bill’s passage along with Graham for over a year, said the people of Ukraine “are not alone”.
“Today, President (Volodymyr) Zelensky is watching from Ukraine – and Putin is watching from Moscow,” he said.
Today, by passing the Russia Sanctions bill, we say to the people Ukraine: you are not alone. And we say to Vladimir Putin: You will not conquer Ukraine; you will not defeat this free, brave people, who are turning the tide against your blood-thirsty aggression. pic.twitter.com/W09uLB3zAB
— Richard Blumenthal (@SenBlumenthal) August 7, 2026
“I would like to think Lindsey Graham is watching, too,” he said.
“Today we say to the people of Ukraine: You are not alone. And today we say to Vladimir Putin: You will not conquer Ukraine,” he added.
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The bill will now go to the House of Representatives for approval when it reconvenes on August 31.
What’s In The Russia Sanctions Bill
The bipartisan package allows the president to impose tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas, including India and China.
Besides India and China, Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia are currently among the top five importers of oil and gas from Russia.
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The bill also provides exceptions for countries that import less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and are taking steps to reduce those imports.
The legislation also includes sanctions on Putin, senior Russian political and military leaders, Russian financial institutions and Russian energy projects.
The bill would expand US sanctions to target older, reflagged oil tankers that Moscow uses to circumvent existing American sanctions on Russian oil and energy revenues.
It also allows the White House to waive sanctions or restrictions if the president certifies to Congress that it’s in the national interest.
In addition to Russia sanctions, the bill would extend till 2031 the expiration date of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, which penalises companies that invest in Iran’s energy sector.
