The United States’ efforts to restrict Russia’s wartime income intensified on Sunday, with President Donald Trump declaring support for new Senate legislation that would authorise tariffs of up to 500 per cent on nations continuing commercial ties with Moscow. These countries include India and China also.
“The Republicans are putting in legislation that is very tough sanctioning, etcetera, on any country doing business with Russia,” Trump told reporters before departing Florida for the White House. The bill, long promoted by Senator Lindsey Graham, has gained traction as frustration mounts in Congress over Russia’s ongoing assault on Ukraine.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in October he was ready to bring the bill to a vote but did not “want to commit to a hard deadline.”
Tariff Bill Targets Key Buyers of Russian Oil and Gas Including India, China
According to Bloomberg, the proposal would grant Trump expanded authority to impose steep tariffs, up to 500 percent, on imports from countries that continue purchasing Russian oil or gas and are deemed insufficiently supportive of Ukraine. The measure is seen as targeting major buyers of Russian energy such as China and India.
“We may add Iran to that,” Trump said on Sunday, without elaborating.
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Russia-Ukraine War
The legislative effort comes as Moscow steps up its campaign to capture the strategic eastern Ukrainian rail hub of Pokrovsk, while maintaining widespread air strikes across the country. Ukraine has responded by intensifying long-range attacks on Russian oil infrastructure.
Democrats and several Republicans have been urging harsher penalties for months, accusing Moscow of prolonging the conflict and rejecting diplomatic overtures. Trump had previously resisted endorsing new sanctions as he attempted to broker talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. His earlier meeting with Putin in Alaska produced no breakthrough.
US Tariffs on India For Buying Russian Oil
The United States has already taken unilateral action against India for its Russian oil imports. In August 2025, Trump signed an executive order imposing a 25 per cent “Russian oil” surcharge on top of an existing 25 per cent reciprocal tariff on Indian good, effectively doubling duties to 50 per cent. Washington said the move was intended to penalise countries that “indirectly fund Russia’s war machine.”
India has since indicated a reduction in its intake of Russian crude. In October, Trump said he believed New Delhi had “significantly reduced” its purchases and suggested the US could ease the tariffs. “We’ll bring the tariffs down at some point,” he said, signalling a softer stance after months of trade friction and stalled negotiations.
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
