DOMINANT ANGLE
Berlin is mainly gauging the extent of the tariff powers granted to Donald Trump by Congress, of up to 500 % on Russian imports and up to 100 % on countries buying Russian energy, before the diplomatic consequences for China and India.
Dominant angle identified — does not reflect unanimity of this country’s media
KEY POINTS
- 01
The House of Representatives adopted the text by 262 votes to 159, after a favourable vote by the Senate the previous month, before transmission to Donald Trump for signature (Handelsblatt, DW German).
- 02
The law authorises customs duties of up to 500% on direct imports from Russia, and up to 100% on the five largest buyers of Russian energy, as well as the five countries that most help to circumvent sanctions, with China and India potentially being affected (DW German, Handelsblatt).
- 03
The text, named after Republican Senator Lindsey Graham who died in July, provides for entry bans and asset freezes targeting Vladimir Putin, military officials, and Russian banks, as well as targeting the "ghost fleet" of oil tankers (DW German).
ANALYSIS
Berlin, September 18, 2026. The German press first notes the scope of tariff powers that the US Congress has just granted to Donald Trump. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives approved a package of sanctions against Russia by 262 votes to 159, after a favorable vote by the Senate the previous month with a "clear majority", according to Handelsblatt. The text now goes to the desk of the American president, who had already "indicated his agreement", the economic daily specifies. Deutsche Welle describes this package as the "first new sanctions text against Russia" of Trump's second term.
The two titles describe the same declared objective: to reduce the revenue from Russian energy exports, which finance the war against Ukraine. But the mechanism highlighted by the German press remains primarily tariff-based. According to DW, Trump will be able to impose taxes of up to 500% on direct imports from Russia, and customs duties of up to 100% on the five largest buyers of Russian energy, as well as the five countries that help Moscow the most to circumvent existing sanctions.
Handelsblatt recalls that China and India are among the largest buyers of Russian oil and that the law "could therefore further strain American trade relations" with these two countries. The daily also emphasizes that the text bears the name of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who died in July, presented as the man who "decisively advanced" it in Congress.
On the repressive side, DW details entry bans targeting Vladimir Putin and several military officials deemed responsible for the war, the freezing of their assets in the United States, that of Russian banks, as well as an explicit targeting of the "ghost fleet" of oil tankers used by Moscow to circumvent existing oil sanctions.
Neither of the two articles mentions at this stage any reaction from the Kremlin, India, or Ukraine: the German coverage remains focused on the legislative process in Washington and the tariff mechanisms it opens, rather than on its immediate diplomatic repercussions for New Delhi or Beijing. It remains to be seen, once the presidential signature is obtained, with what scope these new duties will actually be applied.