US Senate passes Russia sanctions bill to punish buyers backing Putin

Washington,UPDATED: Aug 7, 2026 23:26 IST

The US Senate on Friday passed a wide-ranging sanctions package against Russia by 86 votes to 11, in a major move to reinforce support for Ukraine as the war drags on. The bipartisan bill, linked closely to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, seeks to choke Russian revenue by penalising countries that continue to buy Russian oil, gas and other exports.

The legislation, which now puts pressure on the House to act, has President Donald Trump’s backing and is the most substantial Senate move on the war during his second term. It would allow the president to impose tariffs on the world’s top five buyers of Russian oil or natural gas, including China and India, with exceptions for countries that import less than 15 per cent of their natural gas from Russia and are taking steps to cut those imports.

The Senate vote came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the Capitol hours after Graham’s funeral. He met senators from both parties and watched from the gallery as the Senate took the first procedural votes on the legislation last week. Senator Richard Blumenthal, who worked with Graham on the package, said, "Today, President Zelenskyy is watching from Ukraine - and Putin is watching from Moscow." He added, "I would like to think Lindsey Graham is watching, too. Today we say to the people of Ukraine: You are not alone. And today we say to Vladimir Putin: You will not conquer Ukraine."

Graham and Blumenthal had announced a deal with the White House on the sanctions bill on July 10 after more than a year of negotiations. Graham, who had just returned from Ukraine, died suddenly the next day, likely from an aortic tear. Congress has struggled to keep US funding and munitions flowing to Ukraine, but Trump’s support for the sanctions package has increased the chances of it moving forward.

Along with targeting buyers of Russian energy, the bill includes sanctions on Putin, senior Russian political and military leaders, Russian financial institutions and Russian energy projects. It also expands existing US sanctions to target older, reflagged oil tankers that Russia uses to get around restrictions on its oil and energy revenues.

Some Democrats and Republicans had raised concerns about giving Trump broad powers to impose tariffs on imports, amid worries about inflation and the cost of living in the US. Those who voted against the final bill were mostly progressive Democrats. The final version includes waiver powers for the president, allowing the White House to suspend sanctions or restrictions if the president tells Congress that doing so is in the national interest.

Senator Darline Graham, who was appointed by the state’s governor to fill her brother’s seat, said he had been determined to help end the war in Ukraine and that she was honoured to carry on his work. "This legislation hits Putin where it hurts," she said. The Senate’s approval marks a strong bipartisan show of support for Ukraine and an effort to tighten pressure on Russia as the war enters its fifth year.

With PTI Inputs

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