US Senate Introduces Sanctions Act Targeting Russian Energy Buyers

A bipartisan group of over 60 U.S. senators introduced the Senator Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 on July 17, 2026. The legislation, spearheaded by the late Senator Lindsey Graham and Senator Richard Blumenthal, aims to choke off revenue funding Russia's war in Ukraine by authorizing Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest purchasers of Russian crude oil and natural gas: China, India, Slovakia, Hungary, and Azerbaijan.

The bill replaces an earlier version that suggested tariffs as high as 500%. In addition to targeted tariffs, the act imposes mandatory blocking sanctions on Russian oligarchs and state-owned enterprises including Sberbank and Gazprombank. It specifically targets the Russian shadow fleet and energy projects such as Yamal LNG. To maintain flexibility for allies, the bill exempts countries importing less than 15% of Russia's natural gas exports.

Donald Trump has expressed support for the legislation, noting a good chance of its passage. However, the Government of China has formally condemned the move, with spokesperson Lin Jian calling the unilateral sanctions illegal and based on double standards. India's Ministry of External Affairs stated it is closely monitoring the developments, with spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal defending India's increased Russian oil imports as a matter of energy security. The bill must pass both the Senate and the House of Representatives before reaching the president for final approval.