Overview
- President Donald Trump said countries that do business with Russia will face “severe sanctions,” adding that Iran could be folded into the same approach.
- He stated he is in agreement with congressional plans designed to intensify pressure on Vladimir Putin.
- Senators Lindsey Graham and Richard Blumenthal are advancing a proposal for tariffs on Russian energy importers and secondary sanctions on foreign firms supporting Russia’s energy production.
- The Kremlin called the prospective U.S. legislation “very negative,” with spokesman Dmitry Peskov saying Moscow will watch its development.
- The escalation builds on August Treasury actions against Rosneft and Lukoil and a wider program that has sanctioned more than 6,000 Russia-linked individuals and entities since 2022.