A bipartisan US Senate bill proposes up to 100% tariffs on exports from India and four other nations over Russian oil purchases.
The legislation has White House backing and could be passed before August according to Senator Richard Blumenthal.
The United States Trade Representative will determine the exact tariff rates to discourage major buyers of Russian energy.
A bipartisan group of US senators has introduced a new sanctions bill proposing tariffs of up to 100% on exports from India, China, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan over their continued purchase of Russian oil.
The bill — which has White House backing — could be passed before August as legislators are confident it has the support necessary to pass the Senate, Senator Richard Blumenthal said.
The bill aims to cripple Russia's energy revenues and force an end to the Ukraine war.
Targeted Tariffs and Exemptions
Addressing a press conference in Washington on Tuesday, Blumenthal detailed the mechanics of the legislation.
"It imposes tariffs that are targeted, narrowly limited to the five major purchasers, up to 100 percent, with waiver authority that is narrowly tailored and constricted. And those five major purchasers right now of oil are China, India, Slovakia, Hungary, Azerbaijan. And on gas purchasers, it makes an exception for the purchasers who are buying less than 15% of total Russian natural gas imports and are taking significant steps to reduce their purchases," Blumenthal said.
"The decision about the exact rate will be determined by the United States Trade Representative. We've had extensive discussions with him. I think it will be set at an appropriate level to discourage China, India and other major purchases of Russian oil and gas. Remember that there are reporting and certification requirements from the US Trade Representative to the Congress if the rate is lowered," Blumenthal said.
Evolution of the Bill
The current draft serves as a softened version of the Sanctioning Russia Act introduced in the US Senate in April last year. That earlier iteration proposed a possible 500% tariff on countries buying Russian energy, including India. It failed to progress to a vote due to concerns from legislators about its extreme provisions and lacklustre support from President Trump.
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen said the new bill would have much narrower tariff provisions.
Alongside the import tariffs, the legislation includes broad penalties targeting Russia's vital energy, defence, financial and industrial sectors.
During Tuesday's press conference, legislators paid tribute to late US Senator Lindsey Graham, who passed away suddenly last week. Graham was a key backer of the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025 and played a key role in advancing the new legislation prior to his death.
