US Senate advances sweeping Russia sanctions bill with Trump's support

In honor of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, the flag over the U.S. Capitol flies at half-staff. Source: REUTERS/AL DRAGO

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham was President Donald Trump's key ally on Russia sanctions. Shortly before his death, Graham stated that he had secured the president's agreement on a tough new sanctions package. WELT has reviewed the bill, which includes a powerful automatic enforcement mechanism.

Key Provisions of the Sanctions Bill

The bill, obtained by the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network, includes the following measures:

• Primary tariffs: The U.S. will impose a tariff of up to 500 percent on Russian imports into the United States, effective 30 days after the law comes into force.
• Secondary tariffs: Imports from the five largest buyer countries of Russian oil and gas will face secondary tariffs of up to 100 percent, to be determined by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. This provision could significantly impact the European Union.

Automatic Enforcement Mechanism

Unlike a previous attempt by Graham last year, the current draft removes the president's discretion over whether to impose the tariffs. Key features include:

• Tariffs automatically come into force after passage.
• The president may suspend tariffs for individual countries or companies only by providing a written explanation to Congress citing reasons of "national interest."
• A complete termination of the sanctions regime can be blocked by the Senate with a 60-vote majority.

Bipartisan Support Following Graham's Death

Both Republican and Democratic senators now intend to advance the bill in Graham's honor after his sudden death over the weekend. Passage and signing of the law would represent a massive escalation in the U.S. approach toward Russia.

Breakthrough at NATO Summit in Ankara

During his visit to Kyiv on Friday, Graham announced that Trump had agreed to the package. The decisive breakthrough occurred during talks at the NATO summit in Ankara, according to the office of Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who worked on the draft.

"We are very grateful for Trump's support," said Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), noting that the negotiations had been "very difficult and sometimes heated."

Context: Trump's Shifting Stance

Only last week, Trump showed a conciliatory stance toward Ukraine. During a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, he expressed willingness to grant Kyiv a license to build Patriot anti-aircraft missiles. Zelenskyy said this would eliminate one of Russia's last advantages—air superiority.

The sanctions package now represents a potential about-face for Trump. Graham had attempted a similar push last year, but the president was never openly receptive. That earlier bill provided for 500 percent punitive tariffs against all buyer states of Russian energy but left it to the president to decide when and against whom to impose them.

Impact on Major Buyers

The secondary tariffs would primarily target China, the largest buyer of Russian crude oil, according to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA).