US lawmakers have introduced a revised version of the bipartisan Russia sanctions bill originally put forward by late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, scaling back a key proposal that had targeted countries purchasing Russian energy. Instead of the previously proposed 500 per cent tariff on nations such as India and China, the updated legislation would authorize US President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent.
The proposed legislation is designed to sanction Russian officials while using tariffs as leverage to encourage major buyers, including China and India, to reduce their reliance on Russian energy supplies. Supporters of the measure argue that increasing economic pressure on Moscow could help force an end to Russia's four-year-long invasion of Ukraine, a conflict that has claimed roughly 2 million military troops and caused nearly $200 billion in damage to Kyiv.
Among the largest buyers of Russian crude are China, India, Slovakia, Hungary, and Azerbaijan. China, France, Japan, Hungary, and Belgium rank as the biggest importers of Russian natural gas. Should Trump choose to impose the proposed tariffs, the move could further strain already fragile US trade ties with China and India.
Under the revised legislation, tariffs targeting third-party purchasers of Russian oil and natural gas would be capped at 100 per cent for the five biggest buyers, replacing the earlier proposal that called for a blanket 500 per cent tariff.
The updated bill also creates an exemption for countries importing less than 15 per cent of Russia's natural gas exports, provided they are making substantial efforts to reduce those purchases. That provision could exclude Japan, France, Hungary, and Belgium from the tariffs.
The legislation further targets Russia's shadow fleet of tankers operating outside Western maritime services. It also seeks sanctions against Russian financial institutions, including the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, along with major state-owned energy ventures such as Yamal LNG and Arctic LNG 1, 2 and 3.
Another addition to the revised proposal gives Trump the authority to waive sanctions if he determines doing so serves the U.S. national interest.
Before his death last week, Senator Graham announced during a visit to Ukraine that he had secured an agreement with Republican President Donald Trump to advance the Russia sanctions bill, more than a year after its initial introduction.
According to Senate aides, the legislation had secured 26 co-sponsors, with expectations that additional lawmakers would sign on within hours. One aide voiced confidence about its prospects, saying, "We're pretty confident on its path."
The latest version differs from the legislation first introduced in April 2025 by Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, and Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat.
A Senate aide told news agency Reuters that months of negotiations with Trump resulted in several provisions from the original proposal being moderated.
"This is the only product that currently has buy-in from everybody and is likely the only product that is going to move forward and put pressure on Russia the way we would all like to get," the aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said the legislation could be expanded to include sanctions on Iran and Hezbollah, describing such an addition as a "very big thing."
He also indicated that he believed the measure had a strong chance of clearing Congress and becoming law.
"This is in honor of Lindsey. This was his thing. He wanted this more than anything. You know how he felt, and there's a good chance that it gets done," Trump said.
Blumenthal, however, urged lawmakers to avoid broadening the bill's scope despite Trump's remarks. "With all due respect to the president, he has approved this bill, and we should move forward with this bill rather than opening it, in my view, to other potential targets," the Democrat told reporters.
Responding to Trump's comments, a second Senate aide told Reuters that the legislation already subjects countries such as Iran, which cooperate with Russia's defense industrial base, to sanctions and tariffs.
