The sweeping Russia sanctions bill championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham and co-sponsored by Democrat Richard Blumenthal is expected to reach the U.S. House of Representatives as early as the beginning of September, according to Ukraine’s top sanctions official.
Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the President’s Commissioner for Sanctions Policy, said on television that Ukrainian officials believe lawmakers will try to advance the Graham-Blumenthal bill in the House when Congress reconvenes after its summer recess. The Senate passed the measure 86-11 on August 7, making it one of the most bipartisan pieces of foreign policy legislation in recent years.
The bill, formally named the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, would impose mandatory sanctions on Russia’s political leadership, financial institutions, energy sector, and sanctions evaders. It authorizes the president to impose up to 100 percent tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas, with China and India topping the list. The legislation also targets clandestine maritime networks used to circumvent Western embargoes.
Graham, a South Carolina Republican and one of Kyiv’s most vocal congressional allies, died on July 11 shortly after announcing he had secured the Trump administration’s support for a revised version of the bill. His death lent new urgency to the legislation, with colleagues rallying to pass it as a tribute to his legacy of supporting Ukraine through its four-year war with Russia.
Ukraine’s sanctions coordinator indicated that September will also be a pivotal month for broader international pressure on Moscow. Kyiv intends to host a meeting of key sanctions coordinators to coordinate the next wave of joint restrictions targeting Russia’s military-industrial complex. Vlasiuk stressed that the sanctions coalition is working to restrict not only the supply of foreign components to Russia but also manufacturing equipment, chemicals, logistics routes, and payment mechanisms.
Several allies have already stepped up their own measures. Canada and the United Kingdom have emerged as leaders in sanctions policy over the past year, according to Vlasiuk. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters also announced a new package targeting individuals and entities facilitating Russia’s war, including those involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children.
The bill’s path through the House remains uncertain. Some Democrats have expressed concern about the tariff authority it grants to President Trump, fearing higher import costs for American consumers. Proponents in the Senate believe they can address those concerns before a vote when representatives return.
If enacted, the legislation would mark the first comprehensive U.S. sanctions package on Moscow during Trump’s second term and would represent a significant escalation of economic pressure on the Kremlin as the grinding war in Ukraine continues into its fifth year.
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