Ukraine Lobbies House to Pass Russia-Iran Sanctions Act

Ukraine Sanctions Commissioner Vladyslav Vlasiuk is visiting Washington on September 1 to lobby the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The legislation seeks to increase economic pressure on Moscow by sanctioning Russian officials and granting the U.S. president authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on countries dependent on Russian energy, including China, India, and Japan.

The United States Senate passed the bill on August 7 with an 86-11 vote. While President Donald Trump supports the measure, it faces resistance in the House of Representatives, which has not yet scheduled a vote.

Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries noted that some senior Democrats fear the administration would abuse the expanded powers. Opponents of the bill also argue that the president already possesses sufficient authority to sanction Russia.