Graham's Final Russia Sanctions Bill Reaches Senate Floor

The US Senate will begin voting on Tuesday on a sweeping sanctions package against Russia on the day of the funeral of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, the bill's author and one of Ukraine's strongest supporters in Congress. The vote will coincide with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Washington.

The legislation would impose sanctions on Russian officials and authorize the US president to levy tariffs of up to 100 percent on major importers of Russian oil and gas. The measure could affect countries including India, Japan and some European Union member states. President Donald Trump backed the bill after sanctions targeting Iran were added.

Republicans and Democrats agreed to bring the legislation, titled the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, to a vote. According to a joint statement, the bill aims to prevent revenue from Russian oil and gas sales from financing President Vladimir Putin's "war machine" while also limiting Iran's ability to support terrorism and advance its nuclear program.

Some Democrats, however, oppose the measure, arguing it grants the president overly broad authority to impose tariffs that could raise import costs and disrupt trade with US allies, including European partners.

(Reuters, bak)