Senate overwhelmingly passes Russia sanctions bill

Senate Senate overwhelmingly passes Russia sanctions bill Comments: by Helen Huiskes - 08/07/26 1:36 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Helen Huiskes - 08/07/26 1:36 PM ET Comments: Link copied

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The Senate on Friday passed a long-sought bipartisan bill that would impose harsher sanctions on Russia and the top five buyers of Russian oil, along with extending existing sanctions on Iran.

The measure was a major legislative goal of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who died suddenly in early July. The vote was 86-11.

If enacted, the measure would impose harsher sanctions on Russia and buyers of Russian oil and gas than the U.S. previously enforced and extend existing sanctions on Iran, aiming to economically squeeze the two countries. The Iran provision was a later add, requested by President Trump, to prevent long-standing sanctions from lapsing at the end of the year.

The bill’s passage underscores an urgency on the part of many lawmakers to make progress in showing support for Ukraine in its war with Russia. Most senators met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last month after he attended Graham’s funeral, and he made the case for more military aid as well as the sanctions bill.

Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) told The Hill last week that the bill is a symbol of Congress’s attitude about the war, but he said Trump has a responsibility to further crack down on Russia.

“Zelensky’s been clear with us; they’re steadily running out of interceptors,” Coons said. “Putin has made it clear he’s going to continue killing civilians and pummeling. And what really matters is not this bill; it’s what does Donald Trump do with it? Will President Trump finally actually take the side of the country that is aligned with our values and our interests and our priorities against the country that isn’t? And we can pass a bill as an important sign that Congress wants him to take more of an active role, but he’s got to decide to do it. That’s what matters.”

The specifics of the bill caused some friction with Democrats, who generally support Ukraine but were concerned about the power the legislation would give Trump to tariff countries seen as “facilitators” of Russia’s evasion of sanctions.

“We’ve seen the ways in which he illegally uses the authorities he has,” Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) told reporters last week. “I think we can write this bill in such a way that we do the necessary work of stopping Putin’s aggression, while at the same time not giving the president even more authorities to handle tariffs in the reckless way in which he is doing it.”

Alexander Bolton contributed reporting.

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