Trump signs sweeping Russia sanctions law

On September 18, 2026, President Donald Trump signed into law a broad sanctions package targeting Russia and extending key Iran-related sanctions authorities. The statute is being identified as the "Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026" and is framed as an effort to intensify economic pressure on Moscow.

The legislation is designed to constrain financial resources that Russia could use in its war in Ukraine by broadening the scope of sanctions across multiple parts of the Russian state and economy. It combines financial measures, trade tools and sectoral restrictions into a single multi-faceted package.

The sanctions bill cleared Congress with large bipartisan margins before reaching the president’s desk. The Senate approved the measure by a vote of 86–11, while the House of Representatives passed it by a vote of 262–159, reflecting support across party lines for tightening economic pressure on Russia.

These vote totals underscore a broad congressional consensus on pursuing tougher sanctions, even as debates continue over how expansive presidential trade and tariff authorities should be under the new law.

The act targets Russian officials, banks and oligarchs, as well as major sectors of the Russian economy including energy and defense. By focusing on these areas, the law aims to reach both the financial networks and industrial capacities that support Russia’s military and state apparatus.

A notable provision singles out a so-called "shadow fleet" of tankers that has been used to evade existing restrictions on Russian energy shipments. The law brings these tankers more squarely within the sanctions framework, seeking to close loopholes in the enforcement of earlier measures on Russian oil and gas exports.

Beyond traditional sanctions, the legislation expands U.S. tariff tools related to Russian energy. It directs the president to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the top five importers of Russian oil or natural gas. This provision is intended to raise the cost of continuing large-scale purchases of Russian energy.

The tariff mandate includes an exception for countries that import less than 15% of Russia’s natural gas exports and that have taken significant steps to reduce those imports. This carve-out differentiates between major and more limited buyers, and between those maintaining and those cutting their exposure to Russian energy.

In addition to the Russia-focused measures, the act contains a multi-year extension of existing Iran-related sanctions authorities. Reporting cites this as a five-year extension, carrying the Iran sanctions authority through 2031.

By combining Russian sanctions with a renewed framework for Iran-related measures, the law consolidates key aspects of U.S. economic pressure tools in one statute, setting parameters that will shape sanctions policy over the coming years.