The Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025 (S.1241) is a proposed bipartisan bill introduced in the 119th U.S. Congress to impose extensive new sanctions on Russia and countries that purchase Russian energy and other critical exports, in response to the continuing Russian invasion of Ukraine and Russia's refusal to engage in peace negotiations.
Its proposed measures include a 500% tariff on imports from nations buying Russian oil, natural gas, petroleum products, or uranium, along with expanded restrictions on Russian sovereign debt and financial transactions involving sanctioned entities.
The legislation was introduced in the Senate by Lindsey Graham () and co-sponsored by a bipartisan supermajority of at least 81 senators. In the House of Representatives, a companion bill (H.R. 2548) was introduced by Brian Fitzpatrick () with 26 cosponsors.
Background.
Since the beginning of 2025, peace efforts led by President Donald Trump to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian war have repeatedly failed to achieve a peace treaty. Trump's approach has been characterized as lenient toward Russia, with most of the pressure falling on Ukraine thus creating little incentive for President Vladimir Putin to compromise. As Trump conceded to more of Moscow's demands, Putin refused to compromise and his conditions for ending the war expanded.
This negotiation strategy has been widely criticized by members of Congress, particularly Democrats and a number of Republicans. In response to continued Russian aggression, including a deadly drone attack on Kyiv in May 2025, the Sanctioning Russia Act was introduced as a bipartisan effort to pressure Putin into serious and conclusive peace negotiations to end the conflict in Ukraine.
Donald Trump has shown some support for the bill in his reposting of a Washington Post article on Truth Social.
Legislative history.
On April 1, 2025, Senator Lindsey Graham () introduced the Sanctioning Russia Act in the Senate. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. The legislation has been co-sponsored by 82 senators, crossing the two-thirds threshold required to override a presidential veto. The scale of bipartisan support it has attracted is explained with the quick traction it gained given the growing frustration in Washington over Russia's actions related to the peace process.