The US Senate has voted overwhelmingly to approve a bill to punish Russia and key buyers of its petroleum products, such as China and other countries, claiming that such trade helps fuel the Ukraine war. The bill, renamed the Lindsey O. Graham sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, was approved by the Senate by an 86-11 vote.

This bill will allow President Donald Trump to impose 100 per cent tariffs on goods from countries that are top five importers of Russian oil and gas. With that, the bill would also extend the expiration date of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 to till 2031, which penalises companies that invest in Iran’s energy sector. The bipartisan bill was championed by Republican senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away on July 11, and Democrat Richard Blumenthal.