US President Donald Trump on Thursday signalled strong support for a sanctions bill aimed at pressuring Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The proposed legislation, the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, includes a controversial provision to impose a 500% tariff on imports from countries such as India and China that continue purchasing Russian energy products.
“I’m looking. It’s totally my option. They pass it totally at my option, and to terminate totally at my option. And I’m looking at it very strongly,” Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting.
The president also expressed growing frustration with Putin for prolonging the conflict, and recently directed the US Department of Defense to send more defensive weapons to Ukraine, signalling a harder line, according to the Associated Press.
The Sanctioning Russia Act, introduced in April by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, proposes wide-ranging penalties against countries that import Russian-origin crude oil, natural gas, uranium, and petroleum products. It also includes broader sanctions targeting Russian companies, state institutions, and top officials.
In a June 30 interview with ABC News, Graham said that Trump had personally encouraged lawmakers to advance the bill. “This is a big breakthrough,” he said, adding that the legislation would strengthen Trump’s hand in any future negotiations with Putin.
The bill has received significant support in Congress. “I’ve got 84 co-sponsors for a Russian sanctions bill that is an economic bunker buster against China, India, and Russia for Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. I think that bill’s going to pass,” Graham said.
A key feature of the bill is a clause permitting the US President to grant a one-time, 180-day waiver to any country, citing national security interests. According to a Hindustan Times report, lawmakers are considering amendments to allow a second waiver under certain conditions.
India, which has significantly increased its imports of Russian oil since 2022, finds itself squarely in the crosshairs of the legislation. The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air estimates that India was the second-largest buyer of Russian fossil fuels in May, purchasing approximately €4.2 billion worth, with crude oil making up 72% of that total.
When asked about the bill during his visit to Washington earlier this month, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar confirmed that New Delhi is closely following developments and has been engaging with key stakeholders in the US Congress.
“Regarding Senator Lindsey Graham’s bill, obviously, any development which is happening in the US Congress is of interest to us, if it impacts our interest or could impact our interest,” Jaishankar told reporters.
“So we have been in touch with Senator Graham. The embassy and the ambassador have been in touch. I think our concerns and our interests on energy security have been made conversant to him, so we’ll then have to cross that bridge if we come to it.”
Graham has been explicit in his intent, stating: “If you are buying products from Russia and you are not helping Ukraine, then there’s a 500% tariff on your products coming into the United States.”
He said India and China together account for around 70% of Russia’s oil exports.
Source Name : Economic Times