Trump’s New Law Pressures Europe on Russian Energy

President Donald Trump signed the Graham Act on September 18, 2026, enabling the US to impose tariffs up to 100% on goods from countries importing over 15% of Russian oil or gas, targeting China and India but implicitly threatening Europe. EU nations received exemptions, but economist Éric Dor warns the law's implicit coercive power is the real danger, allowing Washington to force European companies and banks to align with US foreign policy. Hungary and Slovakia, heavily dependent on Russian hydrocarbons, fear losing exemptions if they fail to reduce reliance. The law arrives as the EU plans to end Russian gas imports by autumn 2027, a strategy that primarily boosts American LNG exports. Belgium's Zeebrugge port remains a potential vulnerability due to Russian LNG transshipment, leaving Europe exposed to US pressure tactics.