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BackUS Congress passes bill targeting Russia’s leading energy buyers – China and India
US Congress passes bill targeting Russia’s leading energy buyers – China and India
BREAKING
SCMP Economy1 hour agoPolitics2 min readChina

US Congress passes bill targeting Russia’s leading energy buyers – China and India

us congressrussia sanctionschina

Quick Look

The US House of Representatives passed the 'Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026' by a 262-159 vote, authorizing up to 100% tariffs on the five largest importers of Russian oil and gas, with China and India as primary targets ahead of the Trump-Xi summit.

AI-generated summary

Why It Matters

The bill is named after the late Senator Lindsey Graham and builds on Trump’s history of using tariffs as a geopolitical tool. It passed the Senate overwhelmingly last month and now moves to the White House for signature.

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Breaking US Congress passes bill targeting Russia’s leading energy buyers – China and India

US House of Representatives clears ‘Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026’ before next week’s Trump-Xi summit in Washington

3 -MIN READ3 -MIN

Nayan Sethin Washington

Published: 6:50am, 17 Sep 2026

The US Congress on Wednesday passed a bill to strengthen sanctions on Russia by targeting Moscow’s leading energy buyers – China and India – just days before Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to arrive in Washington for a bilateral summit with President Donald Trump.

The US House of Representatives cleared the “Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026” by a 262-159 vote, making its way to the White House for Trump’s signature. The Senate passed the bill last month by an overwhelming 86-11 vote.

The legislation, championed by late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away in July, authorises Trump to impose up to 100 per cent tariffs on the five largest importers of Russian oil and natural gas, expanding his favourite leverage tool of slapping tariffs to maximise leverage and retribution.

While purchasers of Russian energy are not explicitly named in the bill, it is set to target major buyers such as China and India, while potentially exempting countries including Japan, France, Hungary and Belgium, which source smaller shares from Russia and are taking steps to reduce their reliance.

What to Watch

AI outlook — possibilities, not facts

  • President Trump will sign the Lindsey Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 into law

    Very likely · Within days

  • China and India will seek diplomatic exemptions or alternative energy sources to avoid tariffs

    Likely · Within weeks

Open Questions

  • Will President Trump sign the bill into law?
  • Which specific countries will be identified as the top five Russian energy importers under the act?
  • How will China and India respond to potential tariffs on their Russian energy purchases?

Related Topics

us congress
PeopleLindsey GrahamDonald TrumpXi Jinping
OrganizationsUS House of RepresentativesUS SenateWhite House
PlacesWashingtonRussiaChinaIndia
Topicsrussia sanctionschinaindialindsey grahamtrump xi summittariffs
This article was originally published by SCMP Economy.

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