Pressure On Trump Is Mounting
- 29.09.2026, 11:37
Republicans and Democrats are calling for tougher sanctions against Russia.
A new wave of Russian strikes on civilian infrastructure in Ukrainian cities is fueling bipartisan calls in Washington for U.S. President Donald Trump to use his new broad sanctions powers against Moscow.
Lawmakers believe that increasing economic pressure could bolster efforts to end the war, writes "Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty". “The [U.S.] president must act quickly to take advantage of the Graham sanctions bill,” said Republican Representative Don Bacon.
According to him, Russia continues to bomb cities and civilians, which is why the overwhelming majority of Americans want Trump to “act now.” After all, the Russian economy is “one of our levers of influence, and we need to use it”. As the publication notes, this call is part of bipartisan, bicameral pressure on the American leader aimed at compelling him to invoke the “Lindsey Graham Sanctions Act of 2026 Against Russia and Iran.”
Pressure from Congress
Republican Senator Roger Wicker, who chairs the Armed Services Committee, also called on Trump to use the economic tools provided by this legislation to increase pressure on Kremlin dictator Vladimir Putin.
Wicker praised Trump’s efforts to achieve a negotiated settlement but added that Washington must maintain a “clear-eyed view” of Putin: in his words, Moscow has continued to attack Ukraine despite diplomatic efforts. “He [Putin] is mocking the peace process, but perhaps he can be made to take it more seriously if his bank account is at risk,” the senator emphasized.
He also stated that the bill gives Trump several options: imposing additional financial restrictions on Putin’s associates and companies supporting Russian weapons production, imposing sanctions against major buyers of Russian energy, and targeting Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” which is used to circumvent existing restrictions.
“Peace will come through the strength of the U.S. and Ukraine, not through Putin’s goodwill,” Wicker noted, urging Trump to use his new powers “to the fullest extent.” Democrats who supported this legislation are also pushing for its implementation, with a particular focus on reducing energy revenues that help finance Russia’s war.
“We will be monitoring implementation very closely. We consider it important not only to impose sanctions but also, as I’ve already said, to cut off revenue,” said Democratic Senator Jean Shaheen. According to her, pressure should be applied not only to Russia but also to countries that continue to purchase Russian energy—especially China.
Shahin also called for action against operations involving the “shadow fleet,” emphasizing that buyers should not be able to purchase Russian oil and gas at discounted prices through opaque trading networks.
Where to Apply Pressure
The publication notes that the legislation provides the administration with several potential avenues for increasing economic pressure, but sanctions experts point out that some of the most immediate opportunities involve targets that have so far avoided U.S. restrictions.
“Many of the authorities introduced by this law were already at the president’s disposal,” emphasized Elaine Desenski, director of the Center for Economic and Financial Power at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. However, she said, the law will provide additional impetus to review the list of individuals and entities that may be subject to sanctions but have not yet been included on the target lists.
Dezenski specifically pointed to Russia’s shadow fleet and foreign companies involved in trading its energy resources: many vessels in Russia’s shadow fleet remain unsanctioned. The same applies to many Chinese buyers of Russian oil and suppliers to Russia’s sanctioned energy infrastructure projects.