The US Senate has officially passed legislation aimed at imposing comprehensive new sanctions on Russia, advancing the measure to the House of Representatives. The upper chamber approved H.R. 5334, formally known as the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, in an 86-11 vote on Friday. This result surpassed the 60-vote threshold required for the bill to clear the Senate.
The legislation was a primary priority for Senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away last month following a brief illness. Several senators had previously met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his visit to the United States for Graham’s funeral.
Eleven senators voted against the bill, including Democrats Lisa Blunt Rochester, Maggie Hassan, Mazie Hirono, Ed Markey, Jon Ossoff, Alex Padilla, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Peter Welch, and Ron Wyden, alongside Republican Rand Paul. Three senators did not participate in the vote: Republicans Marsha Blackburn, Cynthia Lummis, and Mitch McConnell.
If signed into law, the act will implement both primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and any entities supporting the conflict in Ukraine. These measures are designed to target Russian banks, financial institutions, oligarchs, government officials, and their family members. Furthermore, the bill authorizes the president to apply targeted tariffs on goods imported from nations that purchase significant quantities of Russian oil or gas and facilitate the evasion of sanctions. It also includes provisions to maintain existing sanction authority regarding Iran’s energy and weapons sectors.
Andrii Sybiha, Ukraine’s acting foreign minister, expressed his support for the Senate’s decision. In a statement posted on the US social media company X, Sybiha described the act as a landmark piece of legislation and a demonstration of American global leadership, while thanking the Senate for their bipartisan solidarity. "Together, we are bringing a lasting peace closer," he said.
