US Senators unveil sweeping Russia sanctions bill; name India among nations facing possible tariffs
The decision comes on the heels of the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham, who spent nearly two years negotiating the measure and whose colleagues have repeatedly cited it as a driving force.
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Senator Blumenthal, the Democrats’ chief sponsor, said the bill goes far beyond tariffs, imposing fully blocking sanctions on a large part of the Russian economy, the energy and financial sectors, the defense industry, oligarchs and businessmen, and Russian President Vladimir Putin himself.
Additionally, the bill gives the administration the authority to impose customs duties on countries identified as the largest buyers of Russian oil at a rate above zero but well below the full value. Blumenthal was among five: China, India, Slovakia, Hungary and Azerbaijan. A related provision targets buyers of Russian natural gas, but exempts countries that import less than 15 percent of their gas from Russia if they are already reducing their purchases; this is an arrangement that protects most European allies.
Senators made clear that the actual rate has not been determined and will be determined by the U.S. Trade Representative, not in the bill itself.
Blumenthal said he expected it to be set high enough to “strongly deter other major oil and gas buyers from China, India and Russia” but declined to give a figure. The bill includes waiver authority as well as reporting requirements to Congress if tariffs are later reduced.
Sen. James Risch, chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Russia is pushing for separate regulation of its “shadow fleet” tankers, which it uses to evade existing sanctions and continue exporting oil.
Lawmakers emphasized that the bill has been significantly narrowed down from previous versions, which reportedly could have imposed taxes on as many as 63 countries. Blumenthal said the current draft focuses on a “top secret number” of five oil and five gas buyers, with some overlap, a change that reflects input from the Trump administration, which he said has now approved the bill as written.
Senators said they hope the redesign will win the support of House Democrats, who criticized the earlier, broader version of the bill.
The announcement carried an emotional tone, with senators recalling Graham’s memory.
Senator Wicker, who served alongside Graham for more than three decades, called it “Lindsey Graham’s greatest accomplishment.”
Sen. Ted Cruz said Graham personally negotiated the bill’s terms directly with President Trump before his death and urged his colleagues to honor him by approving the bill “overwhelmingly.”
Senators argued that the bill’s timing was urgent, pointing to what they described as Ukraine’s battlefield gains and continued Russian attacks on civilian areas. Some said they expected the Senate to act before the end of August and had received assurances from the Senate Majority Leader that the vote would proceed once there was sufficient support.
Asked about President Trump’s suggestion that sanctions against Iran or Hezbollah could be added to the bill, Blumenthal said senators would prefer to move the existing text forward rather than restart negotiations, but he did not rule out a separate bill later.
India has so far resisted Western pressure to restrict purchases of discounted Russian crude, which has increased since 2022 and now accounts for a significant portion of its oil imports.
New Delhi has previously defended trade as a matter of energy security and consumer affordability, arguing that it also helps keep global oil prices stable.
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The bill still must clear procedural hurdles in the Senate and pass the House of Representatives before reaching President Trump’s desk.
A White House official previously said the Trump administration had signaled support for the comprehensive Russia sanctions bill.
Responding to ANI’s question on whether Trump will support the bill and whether India will face fresh penalties for purchasing Russian crude oil, a White House official said, “President Trump supports the bill.”
The legislation would give Trump the authority to impose tariffs of up to 500 percent on imports from countries doing business with Russia’s energy sector.
