--- title: "US Congress Gives Trump Three Days: 22 Lawmakers Demand \"Hellish Sanctions\" by Graham Implemented by October 18" description: "Twenty-two US congressmen called on Donald Trump to fully implement the Graham law on \"hellish sanctions\" against Russia and Iran by October 18, and to revoke the license for the diesel deal." date: 2026-10-15T23:36:54.204Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/us-congress-demands-graham-sanctions-by-october-18 tags: [us-congress, russia-sanctions, lindsey-graham, trump, iran, ukraine-war] author: "Alexander Buran, Andrey Kosynko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # US Congress Gives Trump Three Days: 22 Lawmakers Demand "Hellish Sanctions" by Graham Implemented by October 18 ![US President Donald Trump in a blue suit and red tie against the backdrop of the American flag](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/15/kongressmen-ssha-prizvali-trampa-vvesti-sankcii-grema-do-18-oktyabrya/kongressmen-ssha-prizvali-trampa-vvesti-sankcii-grema-do-18-oktyabrya-1.webp) ## Key Points - 22 US congressmen sent an appeal to Trump demanding full compliance with the Graham sanctions act against Russia and Iran by October 18. - October 18 is the deadline by which the president must either impose sanctions or provide a written justification to Congress for their postponement. - Lawmakers also urged the revocation of the US Treasury license for the diesel deal with Russia. - The Graham Act was signed by Trump on the night of September 19; Zelensky expressed gratitude for it. On Thursday, October 15, twenty-two members of the US House of Representatives sent a joint letter to President Donald Trump demanding the full implementation of the late Senator Lindsey Graham's so-called "hellish sanctions" package against Russia and Iran. According to RBC-Ukraine, citing the website of House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, there are effectively only days left before decisions are made on key measures, and the document has already been signed by two dozen bipartisan lawmakers. ### The Appeal: "Maximum Pressure" Ahead of the Fifth Winter Campaign In the text of the letter, congressmen emphasize that Russia is preparing to launch a fifth winter campaign against Ukraine, and it is precisely in this regard, in their view, that Washington has an opportunity to intensify peace efforts by exerting maximum pressure on Vladimir Putin, as well as on "governments and networks" that, according to the authors, finance his war. The lawmakers thanked the president for signing the Graham Russia and Iran Sanctions Act of 2026 and strongly urged ensuring its "full and faithful implementation" by the first established deadline of October 18. ### October 18 Deadline: Sanctions or Written Justification A key element of the appeal is the date of October 18. Under the terms of the adopted law, by this deadline the US President is required either to impose the stipulated restrictions or to justify in writing to Congress why he is not yet doing so. In their statement, the congressmen demand that by this date the administration report which specific sanctions and tariffs will be introduced, whether delays or cancellations of individual measures are planned, and how the White House intends to evaluate their effectiveness. The authors point out that using the economic pressure tools enshrined in the law will be of "decisive importance" in forcing Moscow, in their wording, "to take peace negotiations seriously." ### Additional Request: Revocation of Diesel Deal License In addition to the main demand regarding the implementation of the sanctions package, lawmakers expressed concern over the diesel deal between the US and Russia and strongly urged the revocation of the license issued by the US Department of the Treasury for the relevant supplies. Thus, the appeal touches not only upon the general sanctions regime, but also specific authorization documents which, according to the authors, may weaken pressure on Moscow. ### Context: Law Signed September 19, Zelensky Expresses Gratitude Recall that on the night of September 19, US President Donald Trump officially signed the Lindsey Graham sanctions bill against Russia. Following this, the step was welcomed by Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed gratitude to the US leader for adopting the document. The current appeal by 22 congressmen, as well as an earlier statement by a group of lawmakers counting on the first round of restrictions by 18 October, indicate that lobbying for the full and timely execution of the signed law—rather than its partial application or softening—persists within Congress. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Время на исходе. В Конгрессе США призвали Трампа ввести "адские санкции" Грэма против России](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/chas-splivae-kongresi-ssha-zaklikali-trampa-1792105903.html) - Primary source: appeal of 22 congressmen, October 18 deadline, demand regarding the diesel deal, law signing on September 19, Zelensky's gratitude. - [В Конгрессе США призвали Трампа занять жесткую позицию на саммите с Си Цзиньпином](https://zn.ua/usa/v-konhresse-ssha-prizvali-trampa-zanjat-zhestkuju-pozitsiju-na-sammite-s-si-tszinpinom.html) - Подтверждено по источнику zn.ua - [В Конгрессе призвали Трампа не ослаблять, а усилить санкции против России](https://life.ru/p/tolko-sila-gruppa-kongressmenov-trebuet-ot-trampa-i-dalshe-dushit-rf-sanktsiyami) - Confirms the first deadline of October 18 under the Graham Act and the context of lobbying for the full execution of the document by a group of lawmakers. ## FAQ ### How many congressmen signed the appeal to Trump? According to RBC-Ukraine, citing the website of Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, the document was signed by 22 congressmen. ### What is the October 18 deadline? This is the first deadline established by the Graham Act: by this date, Trump must either impose sanctions or justify in writing to Congress why he is not yet doing so. ### When was the Graham Act signed? US President Donald Trump officially signed Lindsey Graham's Russia sanctions bill on the night of September 19. ### What else are congressmen demanding besides sanctions? They are calling for the revocation of the license issued by the US Treasury for the US-Russia diesel deal, and for notification by October 18 of what measures will be introduced and how their effectiveness will be evaluated.