Trump signs new Russia sanctions law

US President Donald Trump has signed legislation expanding sanctions against Russia and Iran, giving Washington additional tools to increase economic pressure on Moscow over the war in Ukraine. The White House confirmed the signing on September 18.

The law, officially titled the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, strengthens statutory sanctions, tariffs and other restrictions targeting Russia. It also extends existing sanctions against Iran.

The legislation targets Russia’s defence and energy sectors. It also includes measures against the so-called shadow fleet of oil tankers accused of helping Russia bypass existing restrictions and continue exporting energy.

One of the key provisions gives the US president authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on certain major buyers of Russian oil and gas. Countries such as India and China could face increased trade pressure under the new framework. The law does not automatically impose the tariffs but provides the executive branch with expanded authority to introduce them.

The measure passed the US Senate before clearing the House of Representatives. It was subsequently sent to Trump for his signature. The legislation was renamed in honour of the late South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who had strongly supported tougher measures against Russia before his death in July.

The new law could also affect Washington’s relations with countries that maintain significant energy trade with Russia. Critics have raised concerns over the broad tariff powers included in the legislation and their potential impact on international trade.

The legislation comes as diplomatic efforts continue over the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Russian officials had previously warned that additional US sanctions could make negotiations more difficult.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said before the signing that Moscow viewed the proposed measures as unfriendly actions and warned that further sanctions could complicate efforts to reach a settlement.

The United States has continued to engage with both sides over possible peace efforts. Earlier this month, US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff travelled to Moscow and Kyiv as part of diplomatic efforts aimed at advancing negotiations.

No breakthrough was reported from those meetings, although both sides indicated an interest in continuing discussions. Fighting has nevertheless continued, with Russia and Ukraine exchanging missile and drone strikes.

The new sanctions law therefore adds another layer of economic pressure as diplomatic efforts remain underway. Its impact on future negotiations will depend on how the administration uses the new sanctions and tariff authorities