Trump signs Lindsey Graham sanctions law targeting Russia and Iran
US President Donald Trump signed the Lindsey Graham sanctions law against Russia and Iran, imposing new tariffs and investment restrictions on Moscow and on countries that continue buying Russian energy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha publicly welcomed the law, calling it a historic step that increases pressure on Russia and its enablers.
Key points
- US President Donald Trump signed the Lindsey Graham sanctions law against Russia and Iran.
- The law was adopted with overwhelming bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress.
- Additional US tariffs of up to 100% can be imposed on goods from countries among the top five buyers of Russian oil or gas that continue new purchases, 30 days after the law takes effect.
- Tariffs of up to 500% can be applied to goods imported directly from Russia.
- The law bans new American investments in Russia and restricts transactions involving Russian sovereign debt and transfers of funds to Russian authorities and officials.
- The law gives the US president broad authority to waive individual sanctions and tariffs on national security grounds.
Why it matters
The law layers new economic costs onto Russia and on countries that keep buying Russian energy or help Moscow evade existing sanctions, while leaving the US president broad authority to grant waivers. Its overwhelming bipartisan passage gives it unusual political weight, and Ukraine's leadership used the moment to press the EU and other G7 partners for matching measures.
What happened
US President Donald Trump signed the Lindsey Graham sanctions law targeting Russia and Iran on September 19, 2026. The legislation passed both chambers of Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support. It requires the US to impose additional tariffs of up to 100% on goods from countries that are among the five largest buyers of Russian oil or gas and continue new purchases, with those tariffs taking effect 30 days after the law enters into force. Goods imported directly from Russia can face tariffs of up to 500%. The law also bans new American investments in Russia, restricts transactions involving Russian sovereign debt, and limits money transfers to Russian authorities and officials. It targets countries that most facilitate the circumvention of Russian sanctions, and gives the president broad authority to waive individual measures on national security grounds. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Trump for signing the law and said the best tribute to Lindsey Graham's memory would be the fullest and fastest implementation of its provisions. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha called the signing a 'truly historic day,' said the law will strengthen pressure on Russia and those facilitating its war, and expressed hope that Ukraine's partners in the EU and other G7 countries would follow with further decisive action.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian-language coverage centers Zelensky and Sybiha as the primary voices responding to the signing, emphasizing gratitude, the 'historic day' framing, and a call for matching action from EU and other G7 partners. Reporting highlights the law's pressure on countries that buy Russian energy or help circumvent sanctions, framing it as a tool aimed at Moscow and its enablers. Sybiha framed the law as proof that the Kremlin's calculations had failed and that Putin's hopes of weakening international support for Ukraine had not materialized.
Background
The law was initiated by the late Senator Lindsey Graham, whom Zelensky honored in his reaction by calling for the fullest and fastest implementation of its provisions. Sybiha framed the law as evidence that the Kremlin's calculations had once again failed and that Vladimir Putin's hopes of weakening international support for Ukraine had not been realized.