Package clears final hurdle: Trump signs new Russia sanctions into law
Travel bans, punitive tariffs and frozen assets: US President Trump has signed sweeping new sanctions against Russia into law. A sharp response from Russia followed promptly.
US President Donald Trump has signed into law the legislation passed by parliament imposing wide-ranging new sanctions against Russia. The White House in Washington announced the development.
The law, previously agreed upon by the US Congress after lengthy negotiations, is intended to increase pressure on Russia to end the war in Ukraine. Among other measures, it provides for US entry bans against Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin and a number of military officials. Their assets in the United States will also be frozen. The latter applies to Russian banks as well.
The United States is also targeting the so-called shadow fleet, whose vessels Moscow uses to circumvent international oil sanctions. In addition, Trump is authorized to impose punitive tariffs of up to 500 percent on imports from Russia into the United States. Tariff surcharges of up to 100 percent also loom for products from China or India. These countries are among the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or natural gas.
Threats from Moscow
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Trump for the sanctions package. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha described it on X as a "truly historic day." Pressure on Russia would be further intensified, he said, and Putin's hopes of "weakening international support for Ukraine are being dashed."
Moscow, by contrast, issued new threats. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called for "military deterrence." Even across the ocean, he declared on the online service Telegram, "only the language of direct military deterrence" would be heard.
