Washington: US President Donald Trump has given his approval to a sweeping sanctions proposal that could sharply escalate economic pressure on countries continuing to purchase Russian oil, a move that may carry serious consequences for India’s trade ties with Washington.
The decision was disclosed by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who said the President had endorsed the legislation after what he described as a constructive discussion at the White House. The proposed law, drafted jointly by Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, seeks to penalise nations that undermine efforts to curb Moscow’s energy revenues amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
According to Graham, the Bill would equip the US President with far-reaching powers to act against buyers of discounted Russian crude. Writing on social media platform X, he said the measure is designed to choke off funding that he claims is sustaining Russia’s military campaign. He added that the legislation would increase US leverage over major economies such as China, India and Brazil by discouraging them from continuing energy trade with Moscow.
Formally known as the Russia Sanctions Enforcement and Accountability Act, the Bill is expected to be introduced in the US Senate as early as next week. It proposes tough financial and trade restrictions on governments and companies that bypass the international price cap on Russian oil, a mechanism aimed at limiting the Kremlin’s income from energy exports.
US media reports indicate that the legislation could authorise tariffs of up to 500 per cent on imports from countries found to be in violation, a step that could disrupt established trade relationships and global supply chains.
India, which has become one of Russia’s top oil customers since Western sanctions were imposed in 2022, has consistently defended its purchases as a matter of economic necessity. New Delhi has maintained that its energy decisions are guided by domestic demand and market realities, not by political alignments, and has resisted calls to link oil imports with geopolitical positions.
Analysts view the Bill as part of a broader strategy by Washington to intensify pressure on Moscow while simultaneously testing the diplomatic stance of influential non-Western nations that have avoided taking sides in the Ukraine conflict.
Graham expressed confidence that the proposal would receive strong support from both parties in the Senate, portraying it as a key tool to advance US interests and weaken Russia’s war effort.
Earlier, Trump had echoed Graham’s view that aggressive trade measures can be effective in altering countries’ behaviour. The senator has previously claimed that US sanctions on Russia’s major oil firms, along with tariff threats against nations buying Russian crude, represent some of the toughest steps taken so far to squeeze Moscow economically.
