The US Senate passed a Russia sanctions bill by an 86-11 vote that, if enacted, would allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on the five largest buyers of Russian oil or natural gas. Published on August 8, 2026, the report identifies India, China, Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia as the current top five importers.
The bill is named in honor of the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, described as a strong supporter of Ukraine who had pressed for further sanctions on Russia over the nearly four-year war. His sister, Darlene Graham, who succeeded him in the Senate, said the measure would strike Russian President Vladimir Putin “in the right place.”
The legislation proposes tougher sanctions on Putin, senior Russian political and military officials, financial institutions and energy projects. It would also cover oil tankers, under old and new flags, that Moscow uses to evade existing US restrictions on Russian oil and energy revenues. Countries importing less than 15 percent of their needed natural gas from Russia and actively reducing those imports could receive relief. The House is scheduled to consider the bill on August 31.