New Sanctions on Russia: What You Need to Know Now

The Dominoes Are Falling—Where Does This End? (video commentary)

09/17/2026

The sanctions fight is moving fast. Greg breaks down the legislation he says has now passed Congress, what it would require against Russia and countries buying Russian energy, the waiver authority available to President Trump, and why the bill still matters even though—at the time of recording—Trump had not yet signed it.

Russia and China are already responding. The Kremlin calls additional U.S. sanctions an unfriendly act that could complicate peace efforts, while China rejects U.S. pressure over its economic ties. Greg also examines Russian rhetoric about deeper cooperation with North Korea and Iran, alongside Ukraine’s continuing long-range strikes on Russian military and energy targets.

The update also covers Ukraine’s battlefield situation, Kirill Budanov’s blunt message that Russia can simply leave Ukrainian territory, Zelenskyy’s criticism of China’s political position, the limited Patriot interceptor announcement, and new Ukrainian accusations that Belarus is again helping facilitate Russian drone attacks.