President of the United States Donald Trump has decided to extend the sanctions against the Russian Federation for one year, which were imposed in response to the aggression against Ukraine. The corresponding decree was published on February 18 on the official website of the Federal Register of the United States. The document takes effect on February 20, 2026.
This is reported by Kyiv24
History of US Anti-Russian Sanctions
The sanctions that have been extended were introduced by executive orders of US presidents in 2014, 2018, and 2022. In particular, on March 6, 2014, then-President Barack Obama signed Executive Order No. 13660, which froze the assets of several individuals involved in the occupation of Crimea by Russia. In the following years, the list of sanctioned individuals was expanded and adjusted during the presidencies of Donald Trump and Joe Biden, for example, in cases of the death of certain individuals on the list.
“The actions and policies (of the Russian government) referred to in these orders continue to pose an extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States,” the document states.
New Legislative Initiatives on Sanctions
In early January 2026, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham announced that Donald Trump supported a bipartisan bill aimed at strengthening sanctions against Russia. According to this bill, a 500% tariff is planned on imports from countries that purchase Russian oil, gas, uranium, and petroleum products. The initiative is supported by over 80 senators out of 100.
In November, a senior White House official noted that President Trump is ready to sign the new sanctions bill if his right to make the final decision on any restrictions is preserved. Thus, the US continues its policy of economic pressure on Russia in response to its actions against Ukraine.