Former US President Donald Trump has expressed support for a proposed bipartisan legislation that could impose tariffs of up to 500% on countries purchasing Russian oil, according to Republican Senator Lindsey Graham. The bill is aimed at intensifying economic pressure on Russia amid ongoing efforts to end the Ukraine–Russia war, which began in 2022.
The proposed legislation, titled the Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025, seeks to penalize countries that “knowingly engage in the trade of Russian-origin petroleum products and uranium.” If enacted, it would authorize the US administration to impose steep tariffs and secondary sanctions on nations continuing such transactions.
Senator Graham said that during a recent meeting, Trump approved or “greenlit” the sanctions bill, which has been under development for several months. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Graham described the discussion as productive and expressed optimism that the bill could see a strong bipartisan vote as early as next week.
Pressure on Oil-Importing Nations
Graham stated that the legislation would give the US president broad authority to penalize countries buying discounted Russian oil, which he argued is being used to finance Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine. He added that the bill could provide significant leverage over major oil-importing nations such as India, China, and Brazil, encouraging them to reduce dependence on Russian energy supplies.
“This comes at a time when Ukraine is making concessions for peace, while Russia continues military actions,” Graham was quoted as saying.
Scope of the Proposed Sanctions
The bill has been jointly drafted by Senator Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal. According to reports, it would allow the US to impose sanctions and tariffs on countries importing Russian oil, gas, uranium, and other key exports, with the goal of cutting off financial support for Russia’s war effort.
Efforts to pass the bill in the US Congress had earlier slowed, as Trump previously emphasized the need for diplomatic negotiations to secure a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine. Ending the conflict has been a stated priority of Trump, who has pledged to resolve the war through negotiations.
The Trump administration is currently working to facilitate peace talks, with special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, reportedly involved as key negotiators.
The fate of the sanctions bill will depend on congressional deliberations in the coming days.
