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US Senate Passes Bipartisan Russia Sanctions Bill Targeting Energy Importers

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11 sources across 8 countries · 2 of them are linked to a state

Who reported this

  • Scroll.in India · Left · Scroll Media Inc, reader-funded
  • The Indian Express India · Centre · Indian Express Group (Goenka family)
  • Hindustan Times India · Centre-right · HT Media (KK Birla group)
  • Der Spiegel Germany · Centre-left · ~50% staff-owned
  • Sueddeutsche Zeitung Germany · Centre-left · Sudwestdeutsche Medien Holding
  • The Japan Times Japan · Centre · News2u Holdings
  • Al Jazeera Qatar · Centre-left · State-affiliated · Qatari government funded
  • The Straits Times Singapore · Centre-right · State-affiliated · SPH Media Trust; management shares under the NPPA
  • Kyiv Independent Ukraine · Centre · Reader-funded, journalist-owned
  • Reuters United Kingdom · Centre · Thomson Reuters Corporation
  • Bloomberg United States · Centre · Bloomberg L.P. (Michael Bloomberg)

What the colours mean

  • Left
  • Centre-left
  • Centre
  • Centre-right
  • Right
  • A hatched block means the outlet is affiliated with, or controlled by, a state.

Political lean describes where an outlet sits within the politics of its own country. It is never a position on a single global scale.

Political lean is comparable inside one country and not across them, which is why the bar groups by country first. Publicly funded broadcasters are not marked as state-linked.

The owner of each outlet is listed as a matter of record, not as a judgement about the outlet.

The United States Senate passed the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 on Friday in an 86 to 11 vote. The legislation grants President Donald Trump the discretionary authority to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on the five largest importers of Russian oil and gas: China, India, Azerbaijan, Hungary, and Slovakia. The bill also allows for tariffs of up to 500 percent on imports from Russia and extends the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 until 2031. The measure is intended to squeeze Moscow's war financing in Ukraine and targets Russian officials, oligarchs, and financial institutions. The bill is named after the late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who championed the legislation before his death on July 11.

The bill now moves to the House of Representatives, which is not expected to vote on the measure until it reconvenes on August 31. While the bill sets a 100 percent ceiling for tariffs on major importers, the actual rate would be determined by the US Trade Representative. The legislation includes a presidential waiver for national security interests and requires reassessment every 180 days. Some versions of the text include carve outs for European allies whose imports of Russian gas are below 15 percent.

India has emerged as the second largest buyer of Russian crude, a reliance that increased following disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. New Delhi has stated that its energy purchases are guided by national interest and energy security. The potential for new tariffs comes as India and the US are negotiating a trade deal. White House National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett stated that it is up to the negotiators to determine if the legislation will affect those talks.

Lawmakers expressed differing views on the bill's impact. Supporters, including Senator Richard Blumenthal and Senator Jeanne Shaheen, argue the bill sends a message of strength to Vladimir Putin. Conversely, some Democratic lawmakers, such as Representatives Gregory Meeks and Don Beyer, warned that the bill gives President Trump sweeping powers that could be weaponized in broader trade disputes. Republican Senator Rand Paul and Democratic Senator Ron Wyden opposed the 100 percent tariff provision on the grounds that it could strain the relationship with India without changing its energy calculus.

How each side framed it

Left
This outlet framed the event around the diplomatic tensions between Washington and New Delhi and the commercial viability of India's oil sourcing.
Centre-left
These outlets highlighted the aggressive nature of the sanctions and the potential for the bill to be used as a tool of pressure against Putin.
Centre
These outlets focused on the legislative process, the specific tariff percentages, and the strategic implications for US foreign policy.
Centre-right
These outlets emphasized the potential negative impact on the India US trade deal and the economic justifications for India's energy imports.

Sources

100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.