U.S. Senate passes Russia sanctions bill with 100% tariff threat for India, China
The U.S. Senate has passed a sweeping bill designed to punish Russia and the countries that continue to buy its oil and gas, a move that could lead to 100 percent tariffs on goods from India, China, and three other nations. The legislation, titled the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, was approved by a vote of 86 to 11.
Supporters of the bill argue it is necessary to cut off revenue that helps fund Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine. Under its provisions, President Donald Trump is authorised to impose 100 percent tariffs on all goods imported from the top five importers of Russian oil and gas. According to current data, these countries are China, India, Azerbaijan, Hungary, and Slovakia. If implemented, such tariffs could significantly affect trade between the United States and these nations, particularly India and China, which are major exporters to the U.S.
The Russian economy has relied heavily on energy exports, and Western sanctions have sought to reduce these revenues. However, countries such as India and China have ramped up purchases, partly due to discounted prices. This bill is the latest attempt by the U.S. Congress to pressure these nations to align with Western sanctions.
The legislation also extends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 until 2031, a law that penalises companies investing in Iran's energy sector. This provision is intended to maintain pressure on Iran's nuclear program and its support for militant groups.
The bill is named after the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who died on July 11 shortly after returning from a visit to Kyiv. His sister, Darline Graham, who was appointed to fill his seat, has been a vocal advocate for the bill. "This bill forces those primary countries keeping Russia's economy afloat to make a simple yet critical choice – a choice between doing business with America or buying cheap Russian energy," she said.
Beyond the tariff provisions, the bill seeks to impose sanctions on Russian leaders and officials, including President Vladimir Putin, as well as oligarchs and financial institutions that support the Russian government.
Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat who co-sponsored the bill, expressed confidence that the measures would be effective. "These sledgehammer sanctions and tariffs will stop all who are complicit in this murderous, criminal war of aggression against brave free people," he said. He added that Lindsey Graham would have been "proud of what we've done."
However, the bill has faced criticism from some Democrats who fear it grants the President excessive tariff authority. Congressmen Gregory Meeks and Don Beyer said in a joint statement that the legislation creates "sweeping new tariff authorities that the president could weaponise with abandon, as he has repeatedly done in the past." They argued that the bill would not achieve its goal of holding Russia accountable and could instead lead to more tariffs in the President's trade wars, leaving American consumers to foot the bill.
The bill now proceeds to the House of Representatives, which is set to reconvene on August 31. If the House approves the measure, it will be sent to President Trump for his signature. While the Senate vote was bipartisan, the outcome in the House remains uncertain, as some lawmakers on both sides have expressed reservations about the tariff provisions.
