President Trump will “very soon” sign a law limiting his ability to lift sanctions against Russia, even though he has “concerns” about the measure, Vice President Mike Pence said on Tuesday.

The announcement during a visit to Tbilisi, Georgia, comes as no surprise, because the Trump administration had signaled it would not stand in the law’s way. But it nonetheless carries significance: It is the first time that Congress, with both houses controlled by Mr. Trump’s fellow Republicans, has imposed its will on the administration on a major policy matter, and the legislation has helped bring relations between Russia and the United States to one of its lowest points since the Cold War.

At least in terms of diplomatic policy, the bet Russia might have made when, according to American intelligence agencies, it interfered in last year’s presidential election in the United States has backfired in spectacular fashion. The legislation was revised, however, to address concerns by American oil and natural gas companies that do business with Russia’s energy sector.

Though he was asked by a reporter about the election interference, Mr. Pence did not explicitly address it, reiterating instead the administration’s concerns about Russia’s “destabilizing activities,” including “efforts to support rogue regimes.”