President Donald Trump has endorsed a bipartisan sanctions bill that would let him impose tariffs up to 500% on countries purchasing Russian oil, gas, or uranium, Senator Lindsey Graham announced Wednesday after meeting with Trump at the White House.
The legislation hands Trump economic leverage over China, India, and Brazil—Russia’s biggest remaining oil customers—as his administration negotiates a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine. A White House official confirmed Trump’s support to the Associated Press.
“Russia is turning its nose up, but our partners are strong enough—and if they choose to, they can make Russia regret it.”
“This will be well-timed, as Ukraine is making concessions for peace and Putin is all talk, continuing to kill the innocent,” Graham said.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters Wednesday: “Russia is turning its nose up, but our partners are strong enough—and if they choose to, they can make Russia regret it.”
What the bill does
The Sanctioning Russia Act, co-authored by Graham and Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, allows the administration to impose both primary and secondary sanctions on Russia and anyone supporting the Kremlin’s aggression.
Section 17 of the bill mandates tariffs of “not less than” 500% on all goods from countries that purchase Russian oil, uranium, natural gas, or petroleum products.
Graham has previously pointed to India as proof that the approach works: a 25% tariff already pushed New Delhi to reduce Russian oil imports.
The bill has 84 Senate cosponsors—Republicans and Democrats in equal numbers. A companion bill in the House is led by Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA).
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Timing
Graham said a vote could come as early as next week, though the Senate’s schedule—including a government funding package and Martin Luther King Jr. Day recess—makes the timeline uncertain.
The endorsement comes as special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner lead US negotiations with Moscow, now approaching four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion. The sanctions kick in if Russia refuses to negotiate, violates any agreement, or launches another invasion.
