OMM Redaksiyası
US President Donald Trump has signed a sweeping sanctions bill targeting Russia’s economy and major purchasers of its oil and gas, according to the BBC.
The legislation, passed by the US House of Representatives earlier this week, gives Trump broad powers to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest buyers of Russian energy, most notably China and India.
What the sanctions bill includes
At Trump’s request, the measure also covers Iran’s energy and weapons sectors. Formally titled the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, the 48-page bill is named after the late Senator Lindsey Graham, a prominent supporter of Ukraine in Washington.
The legislation provides exceptions for countries that receive less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and are taking steps to reduce their dependence. It also authorises sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior government officials, banks, other financial institutions and Russia’s “shadow fleet” of tankers used to evade existing restrictions.
Senator Richard Blumenthal, a New York Democrat, had described the measure as “scorching sanctions” that would “throttle Putin’s war machine”.
China and India are Russia’s biggest energy customers
Data from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air shows that China accounted for 50% of Russian crude oil exports between December 2022 and August 2026. India followed with 37%, while Turkey and the European Union each accounted for 5%.
Russian energy exports to the European Union have been declining, according to the data.
Support from Ukraine
Graham had pressed the Trump administration to take tougher action against Russia over the war that followed its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the signing of the bill and thanked Trump for approving what he called “critically important legislation”.
“The best way to honour Lindsey’s memory will be to implement the provisions of this law fully and swiftly,” Zelensky wrote on social media. He added that Graham had never doubted the United States’ ability to stand up to dictators and achieve results.
Graham, 71, died on 11 July from an aortic dissection caused by cardiovascular disease, shortly after returning from a trip to Kyiv. At the time, Trump said Graham had died “doing the work he was born to do”.
Before his death, Graham was widely regarded as one of Ukraine’s strongest allies in Congress, amid divisions among Republicans over the extent of US involvement overseas and military aid to Ukraine.
