US House approves wide-ranging sanctions on Russia and refers them to Trump

The U.S. House of Representatives approved on Wednesday a broad package of sanctions targeting Russian officials and key pillars of the country’s economy, as lawmakers seek to deprive President Vladimir Putin of the financial resources needed to continue the war in Ukraine.

The bill is named after the late Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who spent more than a year negotiating its provisions. It passed by a vote of 262 in favor to 159 against and is now headed to President Donald Trump for signature into law.

The legislation represents the largest effort to support Ukraine since Trump’s return to the White House and is expected to end a relative stalemate that has persisted for about two years on this issue, following the approval of an emergency aid package in 2024. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pushed for the bill’s passage, issuing a direct appeal to members of the Senate ahead of their approval of it last month.

The bill imposes sanctions on Russian officials, Russian banks, and a “shadow fleet” of oil tankers that continue to transport Russian energy. It also directs Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the top five importers of Russian oil or natural gas, with exemptions for countries that import less than 15% of Russia’s natural gas exports and have taken significant steps to reduce those imports.