A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill championed by Sen. Lindsey Graham that would impose sanctions on top Russian figures and heavy tariffs on the biggest buyers of Russian oil.
The “Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026” aims to squeeze Russian leaders in an effort to bring the Kremlin’s four-year war on Ukraine to an end. It would target Russia’s energy sector, a significant revenue source for its Ukraine war, by placing financial penalties on purchasers of those products. The White House has signaled its support for the bill, CBS News reported last week.
The text of the bill had been finalized before Graham met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week in Kyiv, according to a Senate aide. Graham died suddenly Saturday shortly after he returned to the U.S.
“Passing this legislation right now would be a fitting tribute to Senator Graham’s fierce support for Ukraine’s freedom,” Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said in a statement Tuesday.
The measure would impose mandatory sanctions on Russian President Vladimir Putin, his top deputies, the Russian military, Russian banks and energy companies, foreign entities doing business with Russia and Russia’s shadow fleet of oil tankers.
It would block Americans from buying Russian debt or doing business with the Russian government or its energy sector.
Tariffs of up to 100% would be imposed on the top five purchasers of Russian oil, currently China, India, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan.
And the top five purchasers of Russian natural gas would also face tariffs: China, France, Belgium, Japan and Hungary. Countries whose natural gas purchases account for less than 15% of Russia’s total natural gas exports would be exempted.
Under the legislation, the U.S. would reevaluate the top five purchasers of Russian energy every 180 days. Lawmakers hope to push these countries to buy energy from alternate sources to increase financial pressure on Moscow.
The president would have the flexibility to exempt certain entities if he provides justification to Congress.
“Putin’s war against Ukraine has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, and it must end. Lindsey [Graham] believed that getting this legislation passed and signed into law would be the most consequential thing he achieved in his career,” GOP Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama said in a statement Tuesday.
By 1 p.m. Tuesday, 26 cosponsors supported the bill, and that number was expected to grow, Senate aides said.
GOP Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio, who traveled with Graham to Kyiv, said Sunday that he’s hopeful the Senate will soon pass the bill as “one of the legacies” of Graham, who died suddenly Saturday.
Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas said in a post on X Sunday that he plans to introduce a House version of the Russia sanctions legislation this week, urging Congress to “pass it in his honor.”
