US Senate clears Russia sanctions bill seeking 100 per cent tariffs on India, China
PTC News Desk: The US Senate has passed a bill to punish Russia and countries that buy large amounts of its oil and gas, including India and China. The bill argues that such purchases help Russia finance its war in Ukraine. It was approved by an 86-11 vote.
The legislation, renamed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, would allow US President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on goods from countries that are among the five biggest buyers of Russian oil and gas.
The bill will now go to the US House of Representatives, which is expected to take it up when it returns on August 31. China, India, Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia are currently among the top importers of Russian oil and gas.
The proposed law would also impose sanctions on Russian leaders and officials, including President Vladimir Putin, as well as Russian oligarchs and financial institutions.
The bill also includes measures against Iran. It would extend the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 until 2031. The law targets companies that invest in Iran's energy sector.
The bipartisan legislation was strongly supported by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democrat Richard Blumenthal. Graham died on July 11 after returning from a trip to Kyiv. Following his death, lawmakers from both parties pushed to pass the bill as a way to honour his support for Ukraine.
Darline Graham, Lindsey Graham's sister who was appointed to his Senate seat after his death, said the bill would force major buyers of Russian energy to choose between doing business with the US and purchasing cheaper Russian energy.
After the vote, Blumenthal said Graham would be "proud" of the Senate's action. He said the sanctions and tariffs were intended to pressure countries supporting Russia's war against Ukraine.
However, some Democrats have criticised the bill, warning that it would give Trump broad new powers to impose tariffs. Democratic Congressmen Gregory Meeks and Don Beyer said the new tariff powers could be misused by the president.
They said they supported efforts to help Ukraine and punish Russia but argued that the bill could instead lead to more tariffs and further trade disputes, with American consumers ultimately paying the cost.
The bill will now be considered by the House of Representatives.
- With inputs from agencies
