Trump Enacts Sweeping Russia-Iran Sanctions Package

US President Donald Trump has signed the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, a sweeping sanctions package targeting Russia over its war in Ukraine. The legislation, signed on Friday after receiving rare bipartisan support in Congress, is named after the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who reportedly spent more than a year negotiating it before his death in July. Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal co-wrote the bill. The sanctions target Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior officials, oligarchs, banks and other financial institutions. They also cover Russia’s energy and defense sectors and the so-called shadow fleet of tankers used to transport Russian oil while evading Western restrictions. The legislation gives Trump authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on the five largest purchasers of Russian oil and gas. The measure is expected to affect China and India most heavily, as they are the largest importers of Russian crude. The law also extends sanctions on Iran’s energy and weapons industries. It passed the Senate in August and the House on Wednesday, with 58 Democrats joining Republicans in support. The article describes it as the first major Ukraine-related bill to pass Congress in more than two years. Supporters say the package is intended to reduce the Kremlin’s revenue and pressure Putin to negotiate. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called it an “extremely powerful tool,” while House Speaker Mike Johnson described it as placing “maximum pressure” on Russia. Blumenthal said the legislation could help bring Moscow to negotiations. Opposition remains, including from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who warned that the tariff powers could increase costs for American households and argued that the sanctions contained loopholes. India said it remained committed to protecting the energy security of its 1.4 billion people. Trump signed the law approximately one week before a planned White House meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

US President Donald Trump has signed a wide-ranging sanctions bill targeting Russia’s economy and the international buyers that sustain its energy exports. The legislation allows the president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest purchasers of Russian oil and gas, with China and India expected to be the principal targets. At Trump’s request, the bill also applies measures to Iran’s energy and weapons sectors. The 48-page law, formally called the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, is named after the late Republican senator and prominent supporter of Ukraine, who died on 11 July from an aortic dissection caused by cardiovascular disease. It includes sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior government officials, banks, other financial institutions and the country’s so-called shadow fleet of tankers, which is used to evade existing restrictions. The legislation contains exceptions for countries that obtain less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and are actively reducing their dependence. Data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air indicates that China accounted for 50% of Russian crude exports between December 2022 and August 2026, while India accounted for 37%. Turkey and the European Union each represented 5%, although Russian energy exports to the EU have been declining. The bill was strongly supported by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who thanked Trump and urged the administration to implement it rapidly. Supporters, including Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, describe the measures as an effort to severely restrict the resources funding Russia’s war against Ukraine. The legislation reflects Senator Graham’s long campaign for stronger US action against Moscow, amid continuing political divisions among Republicans over American involvement and aid to Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump has signed into law a broad package of sanctions targeting Russia over its ongoing war against Ukraine. The legislation, named after the late Senator Lindsey Graham, passed both chambers of Congress with substantial bipartisan support, receiving 86-11 in the Senate and 262-159 in the House. The law targets Russian officials and major sectors of the Russian economy, including banks and the so-called “shadow fleet” of tankers used to transport Russian energy. It also directs the president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest importers of Russian oil or natural gas, although certain countries may be exempt. Trump may additionally sanction the five countries doing the most to help Russia evade energy restrictions. These provisions could intensify trade tensions with China and India, both major purchasers of Russian oil. The law also creates a framework for keeping sanctions on Iran in place until 2031. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the legislation and thanked Trump and members of Congress who supported it. Zelenskyy highlighted Graham’s support for Ukraine and argued that fully and swiftly implementing the law would honor the senator’s memory and increase pressure on Moscow to end the war. Graham, a prominent backer of Ukraine, died unexpectedly in July shortly after returning from the country. Russia criticized the legislation before its signing. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that further US sanctions could obstruct efforts to reach a peaceful settlement in Ukraine. The article therefore presents the law as both an escalation of economic pressure on Russia and a measure with potentially wider consequences for global energy trade and US relations with major economies.

US President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping Russia sanctions package intended to reduce the revenues and resources available to Moscow as it continues its war against Ukraine. The legislation targets Russian officials, banks and a shadow fleet of tankers used to circumvent existing Western sanctions and transport Russian energy. The measure passed with strong bipartisan support, receiving 86 votes to 11 in the Senate and 262 to 159 in the House. It was described as a final legislative priority of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who had worked on the bill for more than a year before his unexpected death in July. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Graham’s co-drafter, said the legislation was designed to pressure President Vladimir Putin economically and encourage countries purchasing Russian energy to reconsider those relationships. A major provision gives Trump authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest importers of Russian oil or natural gas. Countries importing less than 15% of Russia’s natural gas exports and taking significant steps to reduce those imports would be exempt. Some Democratic lawmakers supported stronger sanctions but opposed granting Trump what they described as overly broad tariff powers, warning that the authority could be used against the European Union and other trading partners. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries argued that such tariffs could harm the American public. The White House initially sought greater flexibility over sanctions before supporting the legislation. Trump ultimately approved it after lawmakers added a provision allowing his administration to extend sanctions on Iran for another five years. The package therefore combines economic pressure on Russia with expanded presidential authority over tariffs and Iran-related sanctions.

The United States has approved a potential $2.7 billion arms sale to Ukraine, centered on air-defense equipment, missiles, laser-guided missile systems and counter-drone technology. The transfer would be financed through European contributions and US military aid approved during the Biden administration. It will proceed unless Congress blocks it within 30 days. The announcement followed a major Russian overnight drone assault across Ukraine that killed 11 people and wounded at least 64. The attacks struck 15 locations, and children were reportedly among the dead and injured. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 138 of 174 drones, including Shahed drones originally developed by Iran. The barrage also prompted Poland to scramble military aircraft and activate its air-defense systems. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned that Russia could conduct hybrid attacks against neighboring countries, including through drones or other projectiles entering the territory of NATO’s eastern-flank states. Washington has recently increased pressure on Moscow as well. President Donald Trump signed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which authorizes targeted tariffs of up to 100% on major importers of Russian oil. The article says revenue from Russian oil has helped finance President Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hosted a regional summit involving the “Carpathian Eight”—Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary—along with European Union representatives. Zelensky said the meeting would deepen regional ties and strengthen cooperation at the EU level. The developments highlight simultaneous efforts to reinforce Ukraine’s defenses, intensify economic pressure on Russia and improve coordination among countries concerned about the wider regional threat.

US President Donald Trump signed a sweeping Russia sanctions bill into law on Friday, September 18, 2026, according to the White House. The legislation is intended to increase economic pressure on Moscow over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and restrict funds that support its war effort. The law targets Russia’s energy and defense industries, as well as its so-called “shadow fleet” of tankers that help evade existing sanctions. By targeting these sectors and vessels, the measure seeks to reduce the revenue available to the Russian government for financing the conflict. The bill also authorizes tariffs on Russia’s major trading partners. Critics warn that this provision could create broader international economic risks, particularly because it gives the US president authority to impose tariffs that could remain in effect beyond Trump’s current presidency. They argue that countries could face economic penalties if they later fall within the administration’s crosshairs. The legislation is formally titled the “Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026.” It was named in honor of South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham, who died in July. Graham, described as a longtime critic of Russia, strongly supported the bill during its passage. The House of Representatives approved the measure on Wednesday, after the Senate passed it the previous month. Trump’s signature completes the legislative process and enables the expanded sanctions and tariff provisions to take effect. The article, attributed to Reuters, presents the law as both a major escalation of pressure on Russia and a measure with potentially significant consequences for countries that trade with Moscow.

US President Donald Trump has signed into law a bipartisan sanctions measure targeting Russia and Iran, named in honour of the late Senator Lindsey Graham. The law allows the president and future administrations to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on major importers of Russian energy, including India, Japan and some European Union countries, as well as on states or entities that help Russia evade energy sanctions. It also targets Moscow’s leadership and Russia’s so-called shadow fleet of oil tankers. The Russia-related provisions are intended to increase pressure on Moscow to end the war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year, and to strengthen the US negotiating position. The article says Trump had initially been reluctant to sanction Russia because he believed such measures could obstruct negotiations, but later became more supportive as the war continued. The bill passed the Senate by 86 votes to 11 before being approved by the House and signed by Trump. However, an earlier passage in the article says House approval was still pending, creating a contradiction in the account’s timeline and legislative status. The legislation also extends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 for five years, preserving economic pressure on Iran’s weapons and energy industries until 2031. The measure is intended to reduce Iranian state revenue and constrain the country’s ability to fund its activities. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration’s Operation Economic Outcast would continue targeting people and organizations providing material, technological or financial support to Iran’s government and alleged terrorist activities. Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham’s sister and successor in the Senate, praised Trump’s signing of the law and said her brother would have been proud. She expressed confidence that the sanctions would increase US leverage and help secure lasting peace in Ukraine.