U.S. Senate passes Russia sanctions bill that seeks 100% tariffs on India, four others

Lead

The US Senate has voted overwhelmingly to advance a sweeping sanctions bill targeting Russia and its major oil buyers, a measure that could lead to 100% tariffs on goods from India, China, and other top importers of Russian energy. The legislation, named the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, cleared a key procedural hurdle and now moves to the House of Representatives.

The Senate voted 86-12 on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, to invoke cloture—a procedure limiting debate—on the bill, as reported by The Hindu. A separate report from Al Jazeera described the vote as 86-12 to advance the bill, while another Hindu article cites an 86-11 approval vote. The exact tally varies slightly across reports, but all confirm overwhelming bipartisan support.

Coverage Comparison

The bill, named for the late Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina who died on July 11, was championed by Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal. According to Al Jazeera, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was in Washington for Graham's funeral, watched the Senate proceedings from the gallery and later wrote on X: "It was an honour to be present as the votes were counted – 86 senators supported the bill. This is the first step towards implementing Lindsey [Graham]'s plans, and certainly a step towards peace."

The Hindu's reporting notes that Graham and Blumenthal had worked on the Russia sanctions bill for more than a year, with Iran added at the request of President Donald Trump. The bill also extends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 until 2031, a provision that penalises companies investing in Iran's energy sector.

Key Claims

• Senate vote: The Senate voted 86-12 to invoke cloture and advance the bill, according to The Hindu (in one article) and Al Jazeera. Another Hindu article reports an 86-11 approval vote.
• Tariff authority: The bill allows President Donald Trump to impose 100% tariffs on goods from countries that are the top five importers of Russian oil and gas, as reported by The Hindu. Currently, those countries are China, India, Azerbaijan, Hungary, and Slovakia, according to the same report.
• Sanctions scope: The bill targets Russian officials, oligarchs, their family members, foreign persons, and Russian banks and financial institutions, as reported by The Hindu. It also empowers the president to impose sanctions on major buyers of oil from Russia and Iran.
• Iran Sanctions Act extension: The bill extends the Iran Sanctions Act until 2031, as stated in The Hindu's reporting.
• Criticism: Critics argue that the bill gives President Trump too much power to impose tariffs, a concern noted by both Al Jazeera and The Hindu.

Perspectives

Senate supporters: Senator Roger Wicker, a Republican from Mississippi and chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said before the vote: "The Lindsey Graham sanctions bill will advance the cause of freedom, and it will combat Vladimir Putin's war machine." Senator Blumenthal told reporters that Graham would be "proud of what we've done," adding: "These sledgehammer sanctions and tariffs will stop all who are complicit in this murderous, criminal war of aggression against brave free people." Darline Graham, the late senator's sister who was appointed to his seat, said: "This bill forces those primary countries keeping Russia's economy afloat to make a simple yet critical choice – a choice between doing business with America or buying cheap Russian energy."

Critics: Some Democrats have warned that the bill would give President Trump new tariff powers at a time when he has made tariffs central to his trade policy, according to The Hindu. Analysts cited by Al Jazeera noted that the president's order to include Iran in the bill could delay it further if it deters Democratic support.

Ukrainian perspective: President Zelenskyy, present in the Senate gallery, called the vote "the first step towards implementing Lindsey [Graham]'s plans, and certainly a step towards peace," as quoted by Al Jazeera.

Outlook

After clearing the Senate, the bill faces further deliberation in the House of Representatives, which is currently in summer recess, according to Al Jazeera. The delay could affect the bill's timeline, and analysts said that the inclusion of Iran tariffs could influence Democratic support. The bill's ultimate impact on US-India and US-China trade relations remains to be seen, but its passage would mark a significant escalation in Washington's efforts to curb Russian energy revenues.