Senator Lindsey Graham stated that after meeting with President Donald Trump, the US president agreed to the possibility of adopting a bipartisan bill introducing new sanctions against Russia and its energy sponsors. The bill would permit tariffs of up to 500% on countries continuing to buy Russian oil.
This decision could serve as a significant lever of US pressure on China, India, Brazil, and other nations that remain buyers of Russian oil. While it is unlikely Trump will immediately use these powers, this bill greatly expands the US administration's options.
Previous US sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil led China and India to reduce their purchases of Russian oil, with only companies less involved in global trade continuing business. Even before new sanctions, Rosneft had reported a drop in profits of up to 70%.
Pressure is mounting on countries supporting Russian oil exports. Senator Graham claims that after the passage of the bill, Russia's ability to supply oil to the global market will be severely limited.
This initiative shows that Trump considers Russian President Putin to be hindering the peace process to end the war against Ukraine. The Kremlin tried to use a pseudo-peace plan to avoid new US sanctions, but this approach failed.
The US administration sees sanctions and increased economic pressure on Russia's energy sector, not concessions, as the main tool of influence. Putin's only nominal victory—the temporary delay of European partners in transferring Russia's frozen assets to Ukraine—comes as the EU allocates $90 billion to support Ukraine.
New US sanctions could be a turning point in curbing Russia’s energy capacity, forcing Putin to reconsider his approach to the West.
