The United States Senate voted 86 to 11 to approve a sweeping sanctions package that imposes 500 percent tariffs on oil and natural gas imported from Russia. The measure mainly targets the Russian hydrocarbon industry and must now be approved by the House of Representatives, where voting will be delayed until at least early September due to the summer recess.
Republican Senator Jim Risch, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said before the vote that the law brings the nation closer to the end of the war between Russia and Ukraine. He added that the measures will have a decisive impact beyond the battlefield by cutting off the money fueling Vladimir Putin's war machine.
The legislation sets 100 percent tariffs on the five primary countries importing Russian oil and gas, including China and India. It also includes sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin and other high-ranking officials, while targeting Russia's shadow fleet of vessels used to bypass Western embargoes since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine for the first time.
Bipartisan agreement and tariff oversight
The bill bears the name of Lindsey Graham, the Republican senator who died suddenly on July 11 after campaigning for new sanctions against Moscow. On the day before his death, Graham announced alongside Republican and Democratic colleagues that they had reached an agreement with the White House to adopt sanctions on Russian hydrocarbons, which President Donald Trump had previously blocked.
Democrat Jeanne Shaheen stated that Putin understands only strength and responds only to pressure, calling the law the best opportunity to force him to the negotiating table. However, some Democrats expressed concern over the tariff powers granted to Trump. Democrat Raphael Warnock said Special Trade Representative Jamieson Greer provided assurances that tariffs on importing countries will be lifted for each nation as soon as it stops importing Russian hydrocarbons.
Diplomatic reactions and European support
The Russian embassy in the United States condemned the bill, arguing that sanctions on Russia and its trade partners would prove counterproductive for the American economy. Embassy officials cited the war in Iran, a looming energy crisis, and rising fuel prices ahead of the midterm elections as key reasons opposing the measures.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen welcomed the Senate's approval of the Graham Act on social media platform X. She noted that the action follows the European Union's 21st sanctions package against Russia, stating that Europe and the United States can demonstrate what historic partners achieve when acting together to dry up Russia's war resources.
