United States President Donald Trump signed a new law on Friday imposing sweeping sanctions on Russia, paving the way for increased economic pressure on Moscow over its war in Ukraine.
The legislation, known as the “Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026,” targets Russian officials, the energy and defense sectors, banks, as well as the tanker fleet used to transport Russian oil in an effort to circumvent existing sanctions.
One of the key provisions of the law gives the Trump administration the authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on goods from countries that are among the largest buyers of Russian oil or gas. The measure also includes exemptions for certain countries that have significantly reduced their dependence on Russian energy.
The legislation received broad bipartisan support in Congress. The Senate approved it by a vote of 86-11, while the House of Representatives passed it 262-159.
The law is named after the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who was one of the measure’s leading supporters and worked for more than a year to secure its passage. Graham died suddenly in July after returning from a trip to Ukraine.
Despite the legislation’s broad congressional support, some Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns about the new tariff powers granted to the president. Critics have warned that these powers could also be used against U.S. trading partners and could have broader economic consequences.
The package also includes a provision extending existing sanctions against Iran for five years, an element that helped secure Trump’s final support for the legislation.
