Oklahoma – “For years, Vladimir Putin has counted on countries like China and India to keep buying cheap Russian oil which directly funds his murder of Ukrainians,” Sen. James Lankford said after the Senate approved a sweeping sanctions package targeting Russia and Iran.
Lankford, an Oklahoma Republican, said the legislation would give President Donald Trump additional economic leverage against countries that continue purchasing Russian energy.
“This bill gives President Trump real leverage to change that calculus and builds on the work Lindsey Graham started years ago,” Lankford said. “It is past time Putin faced real consequences for the death and destruction he has caused.”
The Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by an 86-11 vote on Aug. 7, marking a major step forward for legislation that had been under consideration for more than a year. The bill is now expected to face consideration in the House of Representatives, according to CBS News
The legislation is designed to increase economic pressure on Russia over its war against Ukraine while also continuing sanctions targeting Iran. One of its most significant provisions would give the president authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries that are major purchasers of Russian oil and natural gas.
China and India are among the countries that could be affected by the measure because of their purchases of Russian energy. Reuters reported that the legislation would allow tariffs of up to 100% on countries heavily dependent on Russian oil and gas, including China, India, Japan and some European nations.
The legislation’s supporters argue that targeting countries that purchase Russian energy could put additional pressure on Moscow by reducing the revenue it receives from its energy exports.
Lankford specifically pointed to China and India, saying Putin has relied on their continued purchases of Russian oil to help sustain his government’s finances during the war.
The measure is named after the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, who spent years advocating for stronger sanctions against Russia and pushing for economic consequences for countries that continue to purchase Russian energy, according to Reuters.
The bill also includes sanctions directed at Russian officials, oligarchs, energy projects and other entities connected to Russia’s economy and defense sector. It would also maintain or extend sanctions involving Iran.
The Senate vote followed months of negotiations over the legislation. CBS News reported that lawmakers had attempted for more than a year to advance the sanctions package, with disagreements over how aggressively the United States should target countries that continue buying Russian energy.
A major point of debate has been the authority the legislation would give the president to impose tariffs on third countries. While supporters view that authority as an important tool for pressuring Russia’s trading partners, opponents have raised concerns about the potential economic consequences of imposing tariffs on major trading partners.
Reuters reported that some House Democrats have expressed concerns about granting Trump expanded tariff authority and warned that such measures could increase costs for American consumers. An amendment intended to remove the tariff authority was rejected in the Senate.
The Senate’s 86-11 vote nevertheless demonstrated substantial bipartisan support for the broader sanctions package.
The legislation also comes as the Trump administration continues to pursue efforts aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. Supporters of the bill argue that stronger economic pressure could provide the administration with another tool in negotiations with Russia.
For Lankford, the legislation represents an opportunity to increase the costs facing Russia while also pressuring countries that continue purchasing its energy.
The senator credited Graham’s earlier work on the sanctions proposal and argued that the time had come for the United States to take stronger action.
“It is past time Putin faced real consequences for the death and destruction he has caused,” Lankford said.
The Senate’s approval does not mean the sanctions will immediately take effect. The House must still consider the legislation, and lawmakers would need to resolve any differences before a final version could reach Trump’s desk.
If enacted, the bill could give the administration a significantly broader economic tool for targeting Russia’s energy revenue and countries that continue supporting Moscow’s energy trade. Its eventual impact will depend on how the administration uses the authority provided by Congress and how Russia, China, India and other affected countries respond.
