US Senate passes sweeping Russia sanctions bill in bipartisan vote
Once enacted, the act would impose primary and secondary sanctions on Russia, targeting Russian officials, banks, financial institutions and other entities.
The US Senate has passed legislation that would impose new sanctions on Russia, sending it to the House of Representatives.
By a vote of 86-11, the upper chamber passed H.R. 5334, the legislative vehicle for the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026.
The measure cleared the Senate on Friday with the support of more than the 60 votes required for passage.
Eleven senators voted against the bill: Democrats Lisa Blunt Rochester, Maggie Hassan, Mazie Hirono, Ed Markey, Jon Ossoff, Alex Padilla, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Peter Welch and Ron Wyden, along with Republican Rand Paul.
The three senators who did not vote are Republicans Marsha Blackburn, Cynthia Lummis and Mitch McConnell.
The measure was a key legislative priority of Senator Lindsey Graham, who died after a brief illness last month.
Several senators met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last month during his visit to the US for Graham’s funeral.
If enacted, the act would impose primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting the war in Ukraine.
The sanctions target Russian officials, oligarchs, their family members, foreign persons and Russian banks and financial institutions.
The legislation allows the president to impose targeted tariffs on imported goods from countries that buy the vast majority of Russian oil or gas, and enable Russian sanctions evasion. (China and India will be targets)
It also includes a provision to prevent a lapse in sanction authority that restricts funding for Iran’s energy and weapons sectors.
“This landmark legislation is a powerful demonstration of America’s global leadership. I extend my sincere gratitude to the members of the US Senate for their leadership, their principled bipartisan support, and their enduring solidarity with Ukraine. Together, we are bringing a lasting peace closer,” he said on the US social media company X.
EU toadies sanction too
EU approves new sanctions on Russia in response to massive strikes on Ukraine
Background:
- On 23 July, the Council of the European Union formally adopted a new package of sanctions against Russia, describing it as a measure that “deals a powerful blow to Russia’s energy sector, financial services and cryptocurrencies.”
- The package was approved after weeks of delays caused by objections from several member states for different reasons, with Greece being the last country to lift its objections.
- Following its adoption, it emerged that the EU is reviewing its broader approach to sanctions against Russia.