On Friday, President Trump signed a new sanctions bill into law aimed at increasing economic pressure on Russia. The legislation, which was championed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), authorizes the administration to implement a variety of punitive measures, including tariffs on specific Russian goods.

Under the terms of the new law, the president is authorized to impose tariffs reaching as high as 100 percent on the top five categories of Russian imports. The primary stated purpose of these measures is to respond to the Kremlin’s continued conflict in Ukraine. While the bill provides the executive branch with the authority to enact these tariffs, it also establishes a framework for how the U.S. government will manage economic relations with Russia moving forward.

This move marks a significant legislative step in U.S.-Russia policy, reflecting a bipartisan effort in Congress to address geopolitical tensions. The implementation of these sanctions will now depend on the administration's decisions regarding the specific timing and scope of the tariffs allowed under the new statute. The White House has not yet released a detailed schedule for when these specific economic penalties will take effect, though the legal authority to do so is now fully established.