US lawmakers have passed new sanctions against Russia, targeting its economy and President Putin's associates, with potential tariffs up to 100% on countries like China and India if they continue buying Russian oil and gas. The House approved the bill 262 to 159 after the Senate’s 86-11 vote; President Trump is expected to sign it. While Democrats largely supported tougher action against Russia, some criticized granting the president broad tariff authority. Kyiv welcomes the sanctions as a means to press Moscow toward negotiations, while India remains firm in its decision to continue purchasing Russian oil despite US pressure.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
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The United States House of Representatives passed a bipartisan sanctions bill targeting Russia over its ongoing war against Ukraine, following its approval by the Senate. The bill was championed by late Senator Lindsey Graham and voted through on Wednesday with a tally of 262-159. It grants President Donald Trump authority to impose tariffs up to 100% on countries importing energy from Russia, aiming to restrict funds flowing to Moscow. This measure also imposes sanctions on Russian officials, banks, and the shadow fleet facilitating Russian energy trade. However, some Democrats opposed the bill due to concerns that it could give Trump broader tariff powers and potentially harm US allies like Ukraine. Despite these reservations, 58 Democrats supported the bill alongside 203 Republicans, while seven Republicans voted against it. The legislation now heads to President Trump's desk for his signature.
Written for “US Russia Sanctions Bill” on 2026-09-17,
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Leaning score +0.35 for article 15382 (high confidence, 1 verified quote) · logged 2026-09-17
US lawmakers have approved sweeping new sanctions targeting Russia's economy and Putin's inner circle, with Trump set to sign a bill that also threatens steep tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil, including China and India.
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that → approve → China
The US House of Representatives approved a major new package of sanctions against Russia on Wednesday, clearing the way for President Donald Trump to sign into law the most significant American legislative action against Moscow since he returned to the White House.
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he → approve → House
Lawmakers passed the measure 262 to 159, following the Senate's own overwhelming approval, 86 to 11, last month.
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Lawmakers → pass → 11
Trump has indicated he will sign it.
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he → indicate → it
The sanctions target Russia's energy and defence industries, President Vladimir Putin and senior officials around him, and the so-called "shadow fleet" of tankers Moscow uses to evade existing Western restrictions.
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Moscow → target → restrictions
Crucially for global energy markets, the bill also grants Trump the power to impose tariffs of up to 100% on countries that continue buying large volumes of Russian oil and gas — a measure aimed squarely at China and India, two of Moscow's biggest remaining customers.
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that → grant → customers
That tariff provision proved contentious even among supporters of Ukraine in Washington.
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provision → prove → Washington
Some Democrats, while backing tougher action against Russia, objected to giving the president such broad authority over trade policy.
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Democrats → back → policy
Gregory Meeks, the senior Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticised the bill's drafting, arguing it prioritised presidential tariff powers over binding sanctions commitments.
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it → criticise → commitments
He said he would have supported the legislation had the tariff measures been stripped out, but Republicans blocked attempts to amend them.
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Republicans → say → them
Despite these reservations, most Democrats ultimately voted for the bill, while a small number of Republicans opposed it on free-market grounds.
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number → vote → grounds
Supporters say the added pressure is necessary as Russia's full-scale invasion enters its fifth year with no ceasefire in sight.
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invasion → say → sight
Kyiv welcomes the bill but India holds firm
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India → welcome → bill
The vote came as Russian drone strikes hit civilian transport in southern Ukraine on Wednesday, killing five people, according to officials in Kyiv — an attack that added urgency to calls from pro-Ukraine campaigners for the bill's passage.
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that → come → passage
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had lobbied Congress directly to pass the sanctions, arguing that only sustained economic pressure would push Moscow toward negotiations.
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pressure → lobby → negotiations
Speaking in Washington in July, he said Russia was losing around 30,000 soldiers a month but showed no sign of ending the war, adding that the initiative on the battlefield had shifted out of Putin's hands.
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initiative → speak → hands
India responded on Thursday by signalling it would not change course, saying it would continue purchasing Russian oil "through diversified sourcing and on the basis of evolving market dynamics."
Russia remains one of India's most important strategic and military partners, complicating Washington's efforts to isolate Moscow economically.
The legislation also targets companies and foreign entities supporting Russia's military effort and extends existing sanctions related to Iran.
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legislation → respond → Iran
It follows more than a year of delay, reflecting Trump's general preference for retaining personal control over sanctions and tariff policy rather than ceding it to Congress.
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It → follow → Congress
Ukrainian advocacy groups welcomed the bill's passage while urging swift enforcement.
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groups → welcome → enforcement
"Once the bill is quickly signed and becomes law, we hope for strong US enforcement to finally end the cash flows to the Kremlin's war chest," said Svitlana Romanko of the energy lobby group Razom We Stand.
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We → sign → group
"Every day of delay is a day we in Ukraine must bury more people."
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we → bury → people
The Aporia
