On Tuesday night, the Senate took a significant bipartisan step toward imposing harsher sanctions on Russia and Iran amid ongoing military conflicts. The bill, long championed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), would enforce tariffs of up to 500% on Russian imports and up to 100% on countries purchasing Russian energy, such as China and India. It also extends existing sanctions on Iran.

President Donald Trump recently approved a version of the legislation and requested increased sanctions on Iran. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), co-author of the bill, stated the measure targets China and India for financing Russia's war through their energy purchases, calling them "the main culprits here."

The sanctions package is explicitly designed to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and end his unprovoked war against Ukraine. The bill narrowly targets the worst actors supporting Russia. As one senator remarked, it sends a message to Putin: "Your days of war are numbered. You are on the losing side. Better to come to the table now than sacrifice more lives, waste more money, crater your economy, destroy your standing in the world."

The Senate's approval followed a visit to the Capitol by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a memorial service for Graham. Some Democrats expressed concerns that the bill legitimizes Trump's tariff authority, which was previously rejected by the Supreme Court, and questioned the strength of the sanctions.

Sen. Wicker criticized Putin's disregard for human life, saying, "If we’ve learned anything about the Russian despot Vladimir Putin over the course of this war, it’s that the slaughter of civilians and even his own Russian troops gives him no pause."

Sen. Warnock emphasized the need to hold Putin accountable but expressed skepticism about the president's use of tariff powers under the bill.

The Senate vote is the first in a series needed before the bill proceeds to the House, with expectations that it will pass before the August recess. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday he believes the war with Ukraine could end soon.

Sources