Putin Targeted: Trump Signs Law Imposing New Sanctions on Russia

President Donald Trump signed a bill imposing new sanctions aimed at pressuring Russia over its war in Ukraine, shortly after its passage in Congress.

The White House said early Saturday in a statement that President Trump signed the Russia sanctions bill into law.

The legislation targets Russia’s energy and defense sectors, as well as President Vladimir Putin and other senior officials, according to AFP.

It grants Trump authority to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major purchasers of Russian oil and gas, which could include China and India.

The bill targets Russia’s energy and defense industries, along with the "shadow fleet" of oil tankers circumventing existing sanctions, in an effort to deprive Moscow of funds used to finance its war against Ukraine.

Critics say the legislation, which also imposes tariffs on Russia’s largest trading partners, could create problems for other countries if they find themselves targeted by Trump in the future, as it allows the president to impose tariffs that could last well beyond his term, according to Reuters.

The House of Representatives passed the bill on Wednesday, now named the "Lindsey Graham Act to Punish Russia and Iran for 2026" in honor of the Republican senator from South Carolina, who died in July, while the Senate approved it last month.

Graham, long known for his hardline stance toward Russia, was one of the strongest supporters of the bill.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked President Trump early Saturday for signing the Russia sanctions bill, as well as members of Congress for their support and for ensuring its passage.

"The best way to honor Lindsey’s memory is to fully implement the provisions of this law as quickly as possible," Zelenskyy said, referring to the late Senator Lindsey Graham, who championed the bill.