On Friday, US President Donald Trump signed a new sanctions bill targeting Russia’s main energy buyers—China and India. This action came just days before Chinese President Xi Jinping’s scheduled state visit to Washington. The White House announced the signing of the “Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026,” which expands sanctions and tariffs on Russia while extending existing measures against Iran.
The bill was approved by the US House of Representatives with a 262-159 vote and passed the Senate earlier with an 86-11 vote. Originally championed by the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away in July, the legislation allows Trump to impose tariffs up to 100% on the five largest buyers of Russian oil and natural gas, further enhancing his tariff-driven foreign policy approach.
