US Senate passes sweeping Russian energy sanctions bill amid Ukraine war

What the report says

The US Senate has approved a broad sanctions bill aimed at reducing Russia’s energy revenue during the war in Ukraine, according to Al Jazeera. The measure, called the “Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026,” passed 86–11 on Friday and now moves to the House of Representatives, which is not expected to vote until at least early September because of the summer recess.

The legislation would impose 100 percent tariffs on countries that continue importing Russian oil and gas, and it also targets maritime networks used to skirt Western embargoes. Supporters in the Senate said the package could increase pressure on Moscow by restricting cash flows tied to the war effort. The bill was named for Senator Lindsey Graham, who strongly backed tougher measures against Russia before his death in July, and who had worked with a bipartisan group of senators on the proposal.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the vote and described strong American sanctions as one of the most effective tools for pushing Russia toward ending the war. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also praised the Senate action. At the same time, some House lawmakers expressed concern that the new tariff authority could be used too freely by President Donald Trump, making the bill’s path in the lower chamber less certain.

Al Jazeera reported that the Russian Embassy in Washington had previously criticized the plan, warning that wider sanctions could raise energy costs and create complications for the United States.