Senator Lindsey Graham confirmed that President Trump has "greenlit" the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025. This bipartisan legislation, co-authored with Senator Richard Blumenthal, aims to economically cripple Moscow and provide the administration with leverage to force a peace deal in the ongoing war.
Key provisions and details of the bill include:
Massive Tariffs on Russia: The bill proposes increasing duties on all direct Russian imports into the U.S. to at least 500% of their value.
Targeting Third-Party Countries: It authorizes the President to impose secondary sanctions and tariffs of up to 500% on countries that continue to purchase Russian oil, natural gas, or uranium. Graham explicitly named China, India, and Brazil as primary targets for this economic pressure.
Energy and Financial Restrictions: The legislation would ban U.S. exports of energy products to Russia, prohibit U.S. citizens from purchasing Russian sovereign debt, and include fresh restrictions on Vladimir Putin and high-ranking military commanders.
Strategic Timing: Graham stated the bill is "well-timed" to coincide with Ukraine making concessions for peace while pressuring Putin to engage in serious negotiations.
Legislative Status: Following the President's endorsement, the bill could be taken up for a Senate vote as early as the week of January 12, 2026. A companion measure in the House, led by Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, currently has over 150 co-sponsors.
This move marks a shift in the administration's approach, seeking a stronger statutory basis for tariffs after several lower courts recently ruled against the President's use of emergency economic powers (IEEPA) to impose trade penalties.
