Russian Oil Buyer like India May Face US Sanctions

[ABS News Service/13.07.2026]

Bipartisan sponsors of long-stalled legislation targeting Russia’s energy revenues said they have reached agreement with the Administration on a revised sanctions bill, clearing the way for legislation that had been delayed for months over concerns about preserving presidential flexibility in negotiations with Moscow.

The Senate legislation would complement, rather than replace, existing executive sanctions authorities administered by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.

In a joint statement released Friday, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Roger Wicker (R-Miss), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) said they had reached an accord with the White House and expected to unveil the updated legislation shortly.

It was announced early Sunday morning that Sen. Graham died after a short illness. It is unclear whether the senator’s death will affect action on the legislation.

In a statement posted on social media yesterday, Sen. Shaheen urged her colleagues to quickly approve the measure as a tribute to Sen. Graham. “There can be no more fitting memorial to Lindsey, his legacy, or the causes he fought for, than to pass this legislation and realize his long-held dream of an independent and secure Ukraine,” she said.

If enacted, the revised legislation would give the Administration a powerful new statutory tool by expanding the use of secondary sanctions against purchasers of Russian energy while preserving the executive branch’s discretion over implementation. The senators did not specify when the revised bill would be introduced but said they expected to release the legislation “very soon.”

“We are proud to announce that we have reached an agreement with the Trump Administration to move our updated Russia sanctions legislation forward,” the senators said in their statement. “We are very pleased with this significant progress and expect to roll out the legislation very soon.”

Breakthrough

The announcement marks the first major breakthrough after roughly six months of negotiations between Congress and the Administration over legislation that had attracted overwhelming bipartisan support but failed to reach the Senate floor.

The measure, first introduced by Sens. Graham and Blumenthal in 2025, would authorize the president to impose sanctions and tariffs on countries that continue purchasing Russian oil and natural gas, significantly increasing economic pressure on Moscow by targeting the revenues that finance its war in Ukraine.

The bill rapidly gained more than 80 Senate co-sponsors, but Senate leaders delayed floor consideration as the White House sought revisions to ensure President Trump retained broad discretion to use – or withhold – the sanctions authorities while pursuing negotiations with Russia.

The senators indicated those concerns have now been resolved.

“As Russia intensifies its slaughter of civilians, it is imperative that the legislative and executive branches work together to create tools to exact a heavy price on those who buy Russian oil and natural gas, fueling the Putin war machine,” they said.

The agreement follows weeks of renewed congressional pressure on the Administration. During the NATO summit, lawmakers met Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to urge stronger economic measures against Moscow while arguing that statutory sanctions would strengthen, rather than constrain, US negotiating leverage.

The breakthrough also comes as President Trump has adopted a more critical tone toward Russian President Vladimir Putin following intensified Russian missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities.

While OFAC has continued imposing sanctions on Russian entities, it has also accelerated the review of petitions for administrative relief, removing dozens of Russia-related individuals, companies and vessels from the Specially Designated Nationals List over the past month.

That pattern is consistent with Mr. Bessent’s view that sanctions should be used to influence behavior rather than serve as permanent punishment. Mr. Bessent has argued that sanctions are most effective when they remain a source of leverage that can be tightened or relaxed in pursuit of foreign policy objectives.