H.R. 6856 — Peace Through Strength Against Russia Act of 2025

This section establishes definitions for purposes of this title, including (1) "account," "correspondent account," and "payable-through account" (as defined in 31 U.S.C. 5318A); (2) "adequate maritime insurance" (i.e., verified protection and indemnity insurance with audited financial statements, excluding coverage by Russian insurers); (3) immigration terms such as "admission," "admitted," "alien," and "lawfully admitted for permanent residence" (as defined in the Immigration and Nationality Act); (4) "Armed Forces of the Russian Federation" (listing 12 entities, forces, and proxies, including cyber actors); (5) "blocked property" (as blocked under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act); (6) "critical infrastructure" with respect to Ukraine (i.e., vital systems and assets across 19 sectors, including energy, financial services, and transportation systems); (7) "foreign person" (i.e., any individual or entity that is not a U.S. person); (8) "knowing," "knowingly," and "knows" (i.e., actual knowledge or should have known); (9) "military invasion" (listing eight types, including ground assaults, missile attacks, and destructive cyber attacks on critical infrastructure); (10) "Russian person" (i.e., citizens or nationals of Russia or entities organized under or subject to Russian jurisdiction); and (11) "United States person" (i.e., U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or U.S.-organized entities).

This section requires the President, not later than 30 days after enactment and every 180 days thereafter, to review and impose sanctions described in subsection (e) on persons determined to be described in subsection (b), and to identify as blocked property any vessels so determined. Persons described in subsection (b) include (1) specified senior officials of the Russian government—such as the President, Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, Chief of the General Staff, various military commanders, Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Transport, Finance, Industry and Trade, Energy, and Agriculture, directors of intelligence and security services, and any other senior official as determined by the President; and (2) any foreign person determined to have, on or after enactment, knowingly (A) sold, leased, provided, or facilitated goods or services for Russia's defense industrial base (e.g., computer numerical control tools, lubricant additives, nitrocellulose, chemical coatings, fiber optic cables with military applications, advanced sensors, or items on the Commerce Department's Common High Priority Items List); (B) facilitated deceptive transactions for such goods or services; (C) conducted a significant transaction with Russia's Armed Forces; (D) engaged in activities materially undermining Ukraine's military readiness, government, infrastructure, cybersecurity, democratic processes, peace, security, or territorial integrity, or committing serious human rights abuses against Ukrainian citizens; (E) participated in constructing, maintaining, or repairing a tunnel or bridge connecting Russia to Crimea; (F) endangered the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station; (G) served as a leader, official, or principal shareholder in a Russian defense, energy, or transportation entity supporting Russia's Armed Forces; (H) been an oligarch not opposing Russia's war on Ukraine or benefiting from government ties; or (I) engaged in or been responsible for transnational crime, corruption, assassination, or other specified crimes benefiting Russia.

This section requires the President, not later than 30 days after enactment, to (1) impose two or more of the sanctions described in subsection (d) on the Central Bank of the Russian Federation and its subsidiaries or successors; (2) impose all sanctions described in subsection (d) on Sberbank, VTB Bank, Gazprombank, other financial institutions owned in whole or in part by the Russian government, foreign financial institutions that knowingly facilitate significant transactions or services for certain persons designated under section 102(b)(2)(F), subsidiaries or successors of those institutions, and—absent an exception under subsection (c)—foreign financial institutions engaging in significant transactions with them; and (3) impose sanctions described in section 102(e) on leaders, officials, senior executives, board members, or principal shareholders of those institutions. It further requires the President, not later than 210 days after enactment and every 180 days thereafter, to review and impose sanctions as applicable on additional persons meeting those descriptions. Effective 30 days after enactment, the section prohibits U.S. persons from any transactions with the institutions described in (2) above. The sanctions in subsection (d) include (1) blocking all property and interests in property under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA; 50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), (2) two or more additional sanctions under section 235 of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA; 22 U.S.C. 9529), and (3) prohibitions or strict conditions on U.S. correspondent or payable-through accounts. The President may exempt a foreign financial institution subsidiary or successor if the Secretary of the Treasury determines sanctions are not in U.S. economic or foreign policy interests. This section further provides that (1) U.S. or foreign financial institutions holding immobilized Russian sovereign assets (under the Rebuilding Economic Prosperity and Opportunity for Ukrainians Act, division F of P.L. 118-50, or other law) need not return interest earned and due to Russia (except interest on assets of blocked persons); and (2) sanctions do not apply to payments on specified U.S., G7, or EU loans to Ukraine serviced or made using proceeds from those assets. (Thus, these provisions support Ukraine-related financing from seized Russian assets while expanding sanctions on major Russian banks that underpin government operations and the economy.)

This section directs the President, not later than 30 days after the date of enactment and every 180 days thereafter, to review entities in which the government of the Russian Federation has a controlling or majority ownership interest or that are otherwise affiliated with it and to impose blocking sanctions under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act on any such entities. Those sanctions block and prohibit all transactions in property and interests in property of the sanctioned entities if such property is in the United States, comes within the United States, or is in the possession or control of a U.S. person.

This section prohibits depository institutions (as defined in section 19(b)(1)(A) of the Federal Reserve Act) and brokers or dealers registered with the SEC, effective 30 days after enactment, from processing transfers of funds (1) to or from the Government of the Russian Federation, including any entity owned by such government, or (2) for the direct or indirect benefit of officials of such government. An exception applies for transfers arising from, and ordinarily incident and necessary to give effect to, an underlying transaction authorized by a specific or general license.

This section directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), not later than 30 days after enactment, to prohibit securities of specified Russian government-affiliated issuers from being traded on a national securities exchange (i.e., an exchange registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). Specified issuers include (1) any official or individual affiliated with the Government of the Russian Federation or (2) any entity in which that government has a controlling or majority ownership interest or that is otherwise affiliated with it.

This section prohibits, effective 30 days after enactment, (1) new investment in the Russian Federation by any United States person, wherever located; (2) the exportation, reexportation, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States or by a United States person, wherever located, of any category of services identified by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to any person located in the Russian Federation; and (3) any approval, financing, facilitation, or guarantee by a United States person, wherever located, of a transaction by a foreign person if such transaction would be prohibited by this section if performed by a United States person or within the United States.

This section prohibits, effective 30 days after enactment, (1) any new investment in the energy sector of the Russian Federation by any United States person; and (2) the export, reexport, or in-country transfer to or within the Russian Federation of any energy or energy product produced in the United States (terms as defined in 50 U.S.C. 4801). The section further requires the President to impose the sanctions described in section 102(e) on any foreign person determined to knowingly sell, supply, transfer, market, or otherwise provide goods, services, technology, or other support that facilitates the maintenance or expansion of production of oil, uranium, natural gas, liquefied natural gas, petroleum, petroleum products, petrochemical products, coal, or coal products for use by any person sanctioned under section 102 or 103.

This section directs the President, not later than 30 days after enactment of this Act and every 180 days thereafter, to (1) review any person that may knowingly provide global financial messaging services (i.e., systems such as SWIFT alternatives) to circumvent sanctions under section 103 or other provisions of this title, as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury in consultation with the Secretary of State; and (2) impose sanctions pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) on any such entity and its leaders, officials, senior executive officers, board members, or principal shareholders with a controlling or majority interest. This section authorizes the President to waive such sanctions for an entity if it is subject to a compatible foreign sanctions regime (as determined by the President), has terminated prohibited services under that regime, and provides significant financial messaging services to U.S. financial institutions (as determined by the Treasury Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of State). This section provides that it does not limit the President's authority under IEEPA.

This section directs the President, upon enactment, to implement the prohibition on uranium imports from the Russian Federation under section 3112A(d) of the USEC Privatization Act (42 U.S.C. 2297h-10a(d)), including imports from Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation or any subsidiary or successor entity. The section further requires the President, beginning on the date specified in such section 3112A(d)(2)(C) and every 180 days thereafter, to impose sanctions described in section 102(e) on leaders, officials, senior executive officers, board members, or principal shareholders with a controlling or majority interest in Rosatom or any subsidiary or successor entity.

This section amends the Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act (P.L. 117-109), which bans imports of crude oil and petroleum products from Russia, to also prohibit importation into the United States of all products classified under chapter 27 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (i.e., mineral fuels, oils, and distillation products) produced at refineries outside the Russian Federation that use crude oil originating in the Russian Federation. (Thus, it closes a transshipment loophole allowing refined products from Russian crude processed in third countries such as India or Turkey.)

This section requires the President, not later than 30 days after enactment of this Act and every 180 days thereafter, to impose the sanctions described in section 102(e) on (1) any foreign person responsible for or facilitating the transfer or sale of arms or material support from North Korea to be used in Russia's illegal war in Ukraine; (2) any foreign person that knowingly, directly or indirectly, imports, exports, or reexports to, into, or from North Korea any goods, services, or technology for weapons that may be used by Russian forces or their proxies in that war; (3) any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a significant transaction or provides significant financial services for a foreign person described in (1) or (2); (4) any foreign person that engages in a significant transaction related to the transfer or sale of arms or material support with a foreign person described in (1) or (2) or a foreign financial institution described in (3); and (5) any foreign person assisting in the logistical supply and movement of North Korean personnel, arms, or material support to be used in that war. This section further requires the President, not later than 90 days after enactment and every 180 days thereafter, to submit to the appropriate congressional committees an unclassified report (which may include a classified annex) describing significant activities by North Korea to support Russia and its proxies in Russia's illegal war in Ukraine. The report must include (1) the number of North Korean troops sent to fight in Ukraine, casualties inflicted on those troops, and the battlefield impact of North Korean military personnel; (2) the identity and nationality of foreign persons and foreign financial institutions subject to sanctions under this section; (3) a description of the conduct of such persons and institutions; (4) an assessment of the extent to which a foreign government has provided material support to North Korea or persons acting on its behalf to conduct such activities; and (5) a U.S. strategy to counter North Korea's efforts, including engaging foreign governments to halt North Korea's capability to conduct such activities.

This section directs the President to impose the sanctions described in Section 102(e) of this Act on all foreign persons that have directed or in any way participated in the kidnapping and wrongful patriation of Ukrainian children, not later than 30 days after enactment and every 180 days thereafter.

This section directs the President, not later than 30 days after enactment and notwithstanding any other provision of law, to increase the rate of duty on all goods imported into the United States from the Russian Federation—including oil, natural gas, liquefied natural gas, petroleum, petroleum products, petrochemical products, coal, and coal products—to up to 500 percent ad valorem. The increased duty rate applies in addition to any antidumping or countervailing duties.

This section establishes exceptions to sanctions and other measures under this title for (1) transactions involving agricultural commodities (as defined in 7 U.S.C. 5602), food, medicine (i.e., "drug" as defined in 21 U.S.C. 321), medical devices (i.e., "device" as defined in 21 U.S.C. 321), humanitarian assistance, or humanitarian purposes, including those under internationally recognized agreements with the government of Ukraine unless determined to evade sanctions; (2) intelligence and law enforcement activities subject to reporting under title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3091 et seq.); (3) admission or parole of aliens necessary to comply with U.S. obligations under the UN Headquarters Agreement of 1947, the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963, or other international obligations; (4) activities under U.S.-Russia nuclear cooperation agreements authorized by section 123 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2153); (5) imports of low-enriched uranium described in section 3112A(d)(1) of the USEC Privatization Act (42 U.S.C. 2297h-10a(d)) or medical isotopes with a waiver under section 3112A(d)(2); (6) official business of the U.S. government or United Nations entities; (7) non-Russian oil transiting Russian territory for export; (8) U.S. persons operating under pre-enactment Treasury general licenses; (9) wind-down or divestiture of operations in Russia by non-Russian-owned entities or U.S.-controlled entities in good faith efforts, for 270 days after enactment; (10) vessel provisions for crew safety, human life protection, or avoidance of environmental damage; and (11) National Aeronautics and Space Administration activities, without impeding Russian supplies or procurements.

This section authorizes the President to waive the application of any provision of this title to a foreign person or nation for renewable periods of up to two years, subject to submitting to Congress (1) a written certification that the waiver is in the national security interests of the United States and (2) a report explaining the basis for that certification. Reports must be in unclassified form but may include a classified annex and may consolidate certifications and explanations for multiple waivers of the same section. No waiver or report is required if the President adjusts a duty rate under section 115 to greater than zero but not more than 500% ad valorem.

This section (1) authorizes the President to exercise all authorities under sections 203 (i.e., broad powers to regulate foreign exchange, credit transfers, currency/securities imports/exports, and property blocking/confiscation of foreign persons) and 205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA, 50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to implement prohibitions in sections 102 through 114; and (2) applies civil penalties (up to $1 million per violation or twice the transaction value) and criminal penalties (fines up to $1 million and/or up to 20 years imprisonment) under IEEPA section 206(b) and (c) (50 U.S.C. 1705) to persons who violate, attempt to violate, conspire to violate, or cause a violation of those prohibitions or related orders/regulations.

This section authorizes the President to terminate the application of any provision of this title by submitting a report to Congress certifying that, for Russian persons or the Russian Federation, it has signed a peace agreement accepted by Ukraine's government and ceased all military hostilities and subversion activities against Ukraine, or for other foreign persons or countries, they have ceased the sanctioned activity and provided reliable assurances against future violations. The report must also determine, unless terminating section 115, whether the action significantly alters U.S. foreign policy toward Russia. The termination does not take effect during a 30-calendar-day congressional review period (60 calendar days if submitted between July 10 and September 7), after which it may proceed unless a joint resolution of disapproval—introduced by party leaders and considered under expedited procedures in both chambers—is enacted into law.

This section repeals the sunset provision of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 (ISA). (The ISA authorizes the President to impose at least two of five available sanctions on foreign persons that knowingly invest $20 million or more in a single year—or $5 million for certain projects—in Iran's energy sector.)

This section provides a severability clause stating that if any provision of the Act or its amendments, or its application to any person or circumstance, is held unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act and its amendments remain in effect.