The U.S. Senate has softened the “severe sanctions” against Russia: what has changed in the bill
15 July 04:45
The U.S. Senate has introduced an updated version of a high-profile bill on new sanctions against Russia, which was drafted by the late Senator Lindsey Graham and Democrat Richard Blumenthal. The bill calls for sweeping restrictions on Russian officials, the financial sector, energy projects, and the so-called “shadow fleet,” but its most controversial provision has been watered down.
This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian", citing Reuters.
What Has Changed in the Bill on Sanctions Against Russia
The main change concerns tariffs for countries that continue to purchase Russian oil and natural gas.
While the first draft of the bill proposed a flat tariff of 500%, the maximum tariff will now be up to 100% and will apply only to the five largest buyers of Russian energy resources.
In this way, the authors of the bill have taken into account the comments of some U.S. lawmakers and the U.S. presidential administration.
Which countries may be subject to the new tariffs
According to senators’ aides, the largest buyers of Russian oil are:
- China;
- India;
- Slovakia;
- Hungary;
- Azerbaijan.
The largest importers of Russian natural gas remain:
- China;
- France;
- Japan;
- Hungary;
- Belgium.
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Who is eligible for exemptions
The updated version of the document provides for exceptions for countries that:
- import less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia;
- are actively reducing their dependence on Russian energy resources.
Japan, France, Hungary, and Belgium could potentially meet these criteria.
Trump will be able to suspend sanctions
Another important change is a provision granting U.S. President Donald Trump the right to temporarily waive sanctions if it is in the country’s national interest.
This provision was one of the White House’s key demands during negotiations with senators.
Sanctions will affect more than just the energy sector
In addition to tariffs, the bill provides for:
- sanctions against Vladimir Putin and Russian officials;
- restrictions on Russian banks;
- sanctions against defense industry companies;
- restrictions on energy companies;
- sanctions against the Yamal LNG, Arctic LNG, and other projects;
- additional pressure on Russia’s “shadow fleet,” which is used to circumvent international sanctions.
The bill has bipartisan support
According to Reuters, 26 senators —representatives of both the Republican and Democratic parties—have already endorsed the bill. The number of co-sponsors is expected to grow in the near future.
Following the death of Lindsey Graham, many U.S. lawmakers have called for the bill to be passed as soon as possible, calling it one of the senator’s major political legacies.
Why the bill was called “hellish sanctions”
The initial version of the bill was informally dubbed “hellish sanctions” due to its extremely harsh economic measures.
It called for the imposition of 500 percent tariffs on virtually all countries that continued to purchase Russian energy resources.
After lengthy consultations, the document was revised, but it remains one of the toughest sanction packages the U.S. Congress has considered since the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine.
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