The US Congress may resume the “cold war” in trade: the Jackson-Vanik amendment against Russia is being brought back
11 September 2025 18:06
On September 10, U.S. Republican Congressman Joe Wilson submitted a bill to the House of Representatives to reinstate the Jackson-Vanik Amendment. The document provides for a complete cessation of trade between the United States and Russia. Republican Congressman Joe Wilson wrote about this in X, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
The impetus was a new attack by Russian drones, which violated Polish airspace.
Background
- TheJackson-Vanik Amendment was adopted in 1974 and restricted trade with states that impede emigration and violate human rights.
- It applied to the USSR and, after its collapse, to Russia.
- In 2012, President Barack Obama repealed it and introduced the Magnitsky Act, which allows for personal sanctions against human rights violators in Russia.
What is being proposed now
- Wilson is calling for a complete cessation of all trade with Russia.
- The politician said that the Obama administration “illegally repealed” the amendment, which “inspired Putin to occupy Crimea.”
- He also emphasized that President Donald Trump would “fix it,” hinting at the possibility of a tougher policy if he returns to power.
Context and reactions
- In the United States, discussions are already underway to increase economic pressure on Russia after new attacks against Ukraine and violations of the security of NATO allies.
- Senator Lindsey Graham has previously stated that the Congress is ready to impose sanctions and additional duties on Moscow.
- Reinstatement of the amendment may be the most radical step: it is in fact a return to the times of the “economic cold war.”
Possible consequences
- For Russia – complete isolation from American markets, more difficult access to technology, investment and dual-use goods.
- For the United States – a symbolic return to a tough anti-Russian policy that strengthens the position of the Republican Party on the eve of the election.
- For Ukraine, it is a signal of Washington’s willingness to go beyond the sanctions policy, which could increase pressure on the Kremlin and speed up decision-making on military assistance.
The Jackson-Vanik Amendment has become one of the symbols of the Cold War, when trade was seen as a tool to put pressure on the USSR. Its restoration could mean the US returning to the logic of total containment of Russia.
For Ukraine, this is a potentially beneficial scenario, as Moscow’s economic isolation increases the consequences of military defeats and limits the Kremlin’s ability to finance the war.
