Senator Coons, Blumenthal, Graham, colleagues introduce landmark bipartisan legislation with 60+ cosponsors to apply greater economic pressure on Russian oil

Before he passed, Senator Lindsey Olin Graham (R-S.C.) championed an agreement with President Trump to employ critical sanctions against Russian allies

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Darlene Graham (R-S.C.), and more than 60 of their colleagues introduced the Senator Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026 to apply greater economic pressure on enablers of Russia's war in Ukraine.

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was a fierce advocate for the Ukrainian cause. Just this past week, Senator Coons attended the NATO summit with Senator Graham and a bipartisan delegation, where Lindsey had a breakthrough meeting with President Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He worked tirelessly with the White House to allow for a bill that imposed greater costs and sanctions on the buyers of Russian oil and gas. Lindsey first introduced a bill in April of 2025 to bring primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine. He spent the last year garnering support for his bill, which has been picked up with bipartisan effort to honor his service to our nation.

"Ukraine is winning on the battlefield against Russian invaders, and there's much more the United States can do to strangle Russia's war machine without putting ourselves at risk. Curbing Russian revenue by sanctioning the foreign buyers of their oil that are keeping Russia's economy and military afloat will strengthen Ukraine, weaken Moscow, and hasten a just and lasting end to this war," said Senator Coons.

"Ukraine is at a critical crossroads - and we must meet this pivotal moment with a powerful sanctions bill. As Ukraine turns the tide on the battlefield, our Russia sanctions bill would be historically impactful in stopping Russia's murderous slaughter," Senator Blumenthal said. "When Senator Graham and I last spoke, he was absolutely exultant, calling from Kyiv with news that President Trump would support this bill to impose scorching tariffs and sanctions on purchasers of Russian oil and stop them from fueling Putin's war machine. Now is the time to push Russia toward peace. Ukraine is gaining net territory and reaching deep into Russia with its drones and missiles. Sanctions provide a path toward peace. Our bill is the product of lengthy, detailed, difficult bipartisan work, and now has broad bipartisan support. Passing this legislation right now would be a fitting tribute to Senator Graham's fierce support for Ukraine's freedom."

"Until the very day he passed, Lindsey remained focused on passing the Russia sanctions bill. Passing this legislation would honor my brother's steadfast commitment to our national security and it would provide President Trump with additional leverage to bring this war to an end. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this legislation and send it to President Trump's desk," said Senator Darline Graham.

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was a fierce advocate for the Ukrainian cause. Just this past week, Senator Coons attended the NATO summit with Senator Graham and a bipartisan delegation, where Lindsey had a breakthrough meeting with President Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He worked tirelessly with the White House to allow for a bill that imposed greater costs and sanctions on the buyers of Russian oil and gas.

The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.); U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.); U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Co-Chair of the Senate Ukraine Caucus; U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee; U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.); U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.); U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee; U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.); U.S. Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence; U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Ranking Member of the Senate Armed Services Committee; U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Chair of the Senate Banking Committee; U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine); U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Majority Whip; U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.); U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine.), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee; U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.); U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.); U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.); U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.); U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa); U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.); U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.); U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii); U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas); U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.); U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.); U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.); U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-Utah); U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.); U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska.); U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.); U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.); U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.); U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.); U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.); U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.); U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.); U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.); U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-Ark.); U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.); U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.); U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.); U.S. Senator Jon Husted (R-Ohio); U.S. Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.); U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.); U.S. Senator Jim Justice (R-W. Va.); U.S. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.); U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas); U.S. Senator John Kennedy (R-La.); U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.); U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska); U.S. Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.); U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-N.C.); U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.); U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.); U.S. Senator Dave McCormick (R-Pa.); U.S. Senator Alan Armstrong (R-Okla.); and U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.).

The Sanctioning Russia Act would impose primary and secondary sanctions against Russia and actors supporting Russia's war in Ukraine. The sanctions target Russian officials, oligarchs, their family members, foreign persons, and Russian banks and financial institutions, as well as the Russian Shadow Fleet.

The legislation also directs the president to impose up to 100 percent tariffs on imported goods from countries that buy the majority of Russian oil, gas, and enable Russian sanctions evasion. The new text limits these tariffs to the five largest importers of Russian crude oil and gas.

Read a one-pager of the bill here.

Read the full text of the bill here.