China, India ‘main culprits’: US Senate advances Bill imposing 100 pc tariff for Russian oil imports
Proposed legislation authorises US president to impose tariffs of up to 100 pc on imports from countries deemed to be major purchasers of Russian fossil fuels
The US Senate has moved a step closer to passing sweeping new sanctions aimed at curbing Russia's war effort, with senior Republican Senator Roger Wicker saying the proposed legislation has been specifically designed to target India and China, the two largest buyers of Russian energy.
The legislation, known as the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, cleared a key procedural hurdle on Tuesday (July 28) after the Senate voted 86-12 to invoke cloture, paving the way for a final vote on the measure.
Cloture refers to a formal procedure of the Senate to set a time limit for the debate and related actions on an issue before it is put to a final vote.
‘We are not hitting our allies’
Speaking at a press briefing after the vote, Wicker said the Bill deliberately avoids penalising America's allies while focusing on countries that continue to import large volumes of Russian oil and gas.
"It is carefully crafted to make sure we are not hitting our allies and that we are hitting China and India," Wicker said.
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"Let's be really blunt. China and India are the main culprits here. They purchase the vast majority of oil and gas, they are fuelling Russia's war machine, and they are doing us no favours anywhere else in the world," he added.
Apart from China and India, the other top purchasers of Russian oil are Slovakia, Hungary, and Azerbaijan.
Tariffs of up to 100 per cent proposed
The proposed legislation authorises the US president to impose targeted tariffs of up to 100 per cent on imports from countries deemed to be major purchasers of Russian fossil fuels or those accused of helping Moscow evade international sanctions.
Section 113 of the Bill specifically identifies the five countries that purchase the largest volumes of Russian oil and gas or facilitate sanctions evasion through Russia's so-called "shadow fleet". These countries could face additional tariffs of up to 100 per cent on goods entering the United States.
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Besides tariff measures, the Bill seeks to impose primary and secondary sanctions on Russian government officials, oligarchs, their family members, banks, financial institutions and entities allegedly supporting Moscow's military campaign in Ukraine.
Vote follows Zelenskyy's Washington visit
The procedural vote came just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met US President Donald Trump in Washington to press for stronger American action against Russia.
Zelenskyy also attended the funeral of Senator Lindsey Graham, one of Ukraine's strongest supporters in the US Congress, who died on July 11. The sanctions legislation, co-authored by Graham before his death, was named in his honour.
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The Senate's approval of the cloture motion limits further debate and brings the Bill closer to a final vote. Given the overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate, the legislation is widely expected to clear the chamber.
House passage may face hurdles
Despite its strong momentum in the Senate, the Bill could encounter resistance in the House of Representatives, where several Democrats have expressed concerns over expanding the president's tariff powers.
House Ways and Means Committee ranking member Richard Neal and Senate Finance Committee ranking member Ron Wyden criticised the proposal, arguing that it grants excessive authority to the White House on trade matters.
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"It is extremely dangerous to give Trump massive new tariff powers, particularly after we've seen the disastrous impacts of his corrupt, chaotic, and inflationary tariff spree," the two lawmakers said in a joint statement.
If enacted, the legislation would significantly escalate US economic pressure on countries continuing to purchase Russian energy, placing India and China at the centre of Washington's efforts to weaken Moscow's financial capacity to sustain its war in Ukraine.