US senators from the Republican and Democratic parties have reached a bipartisan agreement on a bill to tighten sanctions against Russia and Iran, Bloomberg reported. A procedural vote on the document is scheduled for the evening of July 28. The vote takes place on the day of the funeral of one of the bill's authors, Senator Lindsey Graham, who died suddenly two weeks ago. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky flew to Washington for the funeral and is expected to meet with senators.
The document would give US President Donald Trump the authority to impose a 500% tariff on imports of Russian goods. In addition, the president would be able to impose tariffs of up to 100% on the five largest buyers of Russian oil and natural gas, as well as countries that help Russia evade sanctions. According to Bloomberg, the bill also provides for 100% tariffs on imports from countries that purchase Russian uranium and natural gas or facilitate the circumvention of restrictions.
The new presidential powers to impose tariffs would last for five years. Trump could delay the application of individual measures if he considers them contrary to national security interests, The Moscow Times noted. The document also provides for restrictive measures against Russian President Vladimir Putin, officials, military commanders, and businessmen. Enterprises of the military-industrial complex and those who assist it could come under sanctions pressure.
The bill extends the US law on sanctions against Iran of 1996 until 2031. This mechanism allows the US to impose secondary sanctions on foreign companies doing business with Tehran.
The bill, which became known as the 'hell sanctions,' was introduced back in 2025 but stalled for a long time due to Donald Trump's uncertain position, Meduza reported. The president demanded broader powers both to tighten and to lift restrictions. Following Graham's death, Trump promised to support the document.
If approved by the Senate, the document must pass the House of Representatives, which has already gone on its August recess, The Moscow Times reported. Therefore, the law could come into force no earlier than September 2026.
Last year, the US already imposed an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods for purchases of Russian energy, but later canceled these measures as part of negotiations. China, which remains one of the largest buyers of Russian oil, avoided similar restrictions. According to Bloomberg, the new bill could threaten US trade relations with China and India.